Survivors' Hearts
by Michael Weyer
Summary: In Los Angeles, the Doctor finds a unique "House" that leads him to realize he's not the only Time Lord left. But can they put aside long-held tensions to help each other? Early Xover with Dollhouse, all comments welcomed.
1. Chapter 1

Suvivor's Hearts

By Michael Weyer

**Dollhouse owned by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.**

**Doctor Who owned by the BBC.**

**It helps if you've already read my story "Active Status" to fully understand this. In the Doctor Who timeline, takes place shortly after season four, before "The Next Doctor." All comments are welcomed. **

* * *

There were some places in the universe and time stream the Doctor had long ago decided he never wanted to visit. Rangoss 5 during that nasty civil war was one. Skaro was obviously another, no matter the time period. And he never could stand being around Neirtu in the Obsidian Age.

Early 21st century Los Angeles, however, was a place he particularly always wanted to avoid.

It wasn't that he disliked the city. He'd been there a couple of times in the 1940's and '50's and liked the whole noir feel of things. But by 2009, the charm had gone by the wayside, leaving a town that left him feeling more than a bit left out. But, as happened far too often, the TARDIS seemed to have a mind of its own as it dropped him off here instead of London for Victoria's Jubilee. So the Doctor decided he might as well make the best of it.

One advantage of this time and place was that for a change, he didn't stick out. In Los Angeles, a man in a long brown coat over a suit with tennis shoes was perfectly normal if not downright banal. He was also sure no one would pay the TARDIS any heed in its place in the corner of a local park as L.A. was filled with odd sights. It freed him to enjoy the sights of a relatively cool day in the city.

The Doctor had no destination in mind but that was never a priority with him. If there was anything ten long lives had taught him, it was that simply wandering was a good way to find some excitement. He'd long ago resigned himself to the fact that a simple, quiet vacation was almost never going to happen to him. Every time he'd tried, something had come up from alien invasions to monster attacks to living mannequins. It wasn't his fault, it was just the universe's way of action around him.

So he was thus not at all surprised when the dark-haired woman in a gorgeous red dress came crashing through the window of a shop and landed on the street right in front of him.

She rolled to her feet, glass flying off her outfit and her long lush black hair. She was rather attractive with dark eyes and her body was a mix of athletic style and nice curves, the dress enhancing her generous bosom. She was backing up staring at the window as she bumped into the Doctor. She whirled around, her fists raised in a defensive posture. The Doctor responded with his standard smile. "Hello, there. Bad service?"

The woman looked back to see a pair of men in suits coming at her with guns in their hands. At the sight of them, the Doctor let out a tired sigh, realizing once again his vacation plans were being put on hold. He glanced at the woman who was getting back to her feet. "I suppose it's too much to ask for a clear answer up front as to what this is about?"

The woman didn't reply but shoved him aside as she moved toward the two suited men. Her leg lashed out to kick one in the chest and knock him back. Spinning, she kicked the gun out of the other's hand and came around to punch him in the face. She turned back to see the Doctor standing there with a smile on his face. "Very nice form. You Americans always have a knack for adding art to violence."

She glared at him before turning to start running down the street. The Doctor saw another man coming out of the building, a gun aimed at him. "Oh, dear," he muttered before turning to race after the woman. Gunshots were echoing as they turned into an alleyway. The woman was holding a hand to her ear and hissing in a strong voice. "I really, really need a pickup here!"

She came up to a metal door of a warehouse, tugging on it to find it locked. "Allow me," the Doctor said as he stepped forward, his sonic screwdriver in hand. He pointed it, allowing its energies to undo the lock. He turned the handle and swept his arm out into the warehouse. "After you."

The woman gave him only a cursory glance before heading inside. The Doctor followed, locking the door behind them as he went after her. "I take it this is a serious thing?" he politely asked.

She turned to face him, her hands on her hips. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Oh, I'm the Doctor. And you?"

She held a hand up to her ear again, listening. "Got it." She turned to look around the area. It was more of a garage area with a pair of vans nearby and various shipping materials about. The woman raced toward one of the vans, opening the door. "No keys. Okay." She closed her eyes and took a breath. The Doctor could see fluttering behind her lids before she opened them. She reached inside, stripping off the protection under the wheel to expose the wiring. In seconds, she had managed to spark two wires together to start the car up. She got into the driver's seat before turning to the Doctor. "Thanks for the help but this is where we part ways."

The Doctor knew he really, really should not be listening to that annoying little voice in his head. It had gotten him into trouble more times than he cared to count over the years. But that damnable curiosity that retained over each regeneration was too much for him to pass up on. "Actually, I think I should come with." He reached into his coat and flashed his always-handy piece of psychic paper at her.

She blinked at it as her mind processed the paper's unique qualities. "Oh…Um, wow, didn't expect one of you guys here." She paused and then opened the passenger door. "Well, okay, come on in. I'm sure Adelle will want to be talking to you."

"Thank you," the Doctor said as he got into the van, curious as to who this Adelle was. He watched as the dark-haired girl set the van into drive and raced it toward the far end door. "Ah, the door's closed," the Doctor pointed out.

"I know it," the woman replied. "Hang on."

"Oh, dear," the Doctor muttered as he gripped the seat tightly. The girl pressed down hard on the accelerator to send the van racing forward, smashing through the metal doors with a screech of metal on metal, sparks flying as it exploded out into the street. The Doctor gasped as the woman pulled into traffic and raced down the streets of Los Angeles. The Doctor swallowed as they drove along, realizing just how much he rather missed England right about now.

* * *

The trickiest part of using psychic paper was going along with whatever cover it gave you with people without letting on you had no idea what was happening. For a man who had a tendency to stand out wherever he went, the Doctor was able to blend in rather well, managing to roll with what came his way. He was doing so as the van pulled up in an underground garage and he stepped out.

A tall, black-skinned man in a suit was exiting the elevator, frowning. "You're late, Echo," he stated.

"Things went haywire," the brunette woman stated. "But did pick up a big Rossum big-wig."

"Hello," the Doctor smiled as he flashed his psychic paper at the man. He blinked and straightened. "Oh. I see. Well, sir, we'll be more than willing to give you the full tour of the Dollhouse."

"Dollhouse? Oh, yes, the Dollhouse." The Doctor smiled. "Yes, well, that's why I'm here. Lead the way, my good man."

"My name is Boyd."

"Boyd, good name, good man." The Doctor followed as they entered a nearby elevator and began to ride up. He whistled along to the soft tune playing in the elevator as he glanced between the woman named Echo and the man named Boyd. "So…how are things at the…Dollhouse?"

"We've been handling the new methods rather well," Boyd said in a confident voice. "It was tricky making it work at first but Topher believes he's been able to replicate the success with Echo well."

"That's good to hear," the Doctor nodded, giving no indication he didn't have any idea what the man was talking about. The elevator opened into a quite spacious open room. It was done in mostly wood with various windows around showing side rooms of various types. There appeared to be a cafeteria, a massage parlor and a place for arts and crafts. The people around were a mix of men and women in suits like Boyd and people Echo's age. The latter were dressed in loose sweatpants and shirts as they mingled about in various tasks. It took only moments for the Doctor to see that these people appeared rather distracted, wandering about with open eyes and blank faces.

One young woman came by and smiled. "Hello, Echo," she said in a light voice devoid of any real emotion. "It's time for my treatment."

Echo made a small smile. "I'm sure it won't be long before you don't need those regularly."

"But I like them," the woman said, confused. "Don't you?"

Echo sighed as she headed toward a side room. "I need to shower. I'll see you for a debrief in a bit."

Boyd nodded as she went and then motioned to the stairs. "Up here, sir." The Doctor followed, his face getting a bit more sober as he took in the area. He followed Boyd to a room overseeing the large area. Inside, a lanky young man with blonde hair in a sweater and jeans was going over a large wall of computers. The room was dominated by a reclining chair where another young man lay, his eyes shut. The head of the chair was an electronic apparatus that formed a halo around the man's head that was flashing blue as the Doctor entered.

The chair began to move up as the man in it blinked his eyes. "Did I fall asleep?" he asked, his voice carrying the same monotone as the people downstairs.

"Yes, you did," the blonde man said. The man rose from the chair, nodding as he headed out the door. The Doctor watched him go with a frown before glancing at the chair. His eyes took in its design and then flickered to the computers on the walls. "So…what exactly is it you do here?"

* * *

Boyd entered the office at the top to see the familiar female form looking out the window at the cityscape of Los Angeles. "Echo's back."

"And not alone," Adelle DeWitt stated in her clipped British accent as she turned to face him. "Just who is this new arrival?"

"A VP of Rossum, Special Development," Boyd said.

Adelle frowned. "I was unaware we had any such guests coming. And Rossum doesn't make moves I don't know about regarding this House."

"That's what his ID said," Boyd told her. "He must be someone important, doesn't even give a real name. Just tells us to call him the Doctor."

Adelle was reaching for a pen on her desk but froze. She looked up at Boyd with a disbelieving expression. "The…Doctor?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Adelle walked toward the bank of monitors and focused on the one showing the lab. She took a long look at the man pacing the area, at the way he moved and took everything in…and a smile came to her face. "Well, well….Auld acquaintance has not been forgot."

"Ma'am?" Boyd asked in confusion.

Adelle turned to him, a small smile on her face. "Bring him here at once, Mr. Langton." She headed over to her desk. "I think this requires a special conversation."

He frowned but felt no need to argue as he turned to walk out. Adelle faced the monitor again and her smile broadened. "Ah, Doctor…This is a fine treat."

* * *

"So, we've really been improving the wiping procedure," the young man named Topher was saying in an excited tone, his hands moving about quickly as he spoke. "I mean, way I see it, we can increase not just the power but also the signal input so we may actually be able to imprint two personas at once. You know how amazing that can be? Shifting the mind so they can go from one engagement to another, no having to come into the House at all?" He laughed, not seeming to notice the somber look on the Doctor's face.

"You're planning to rewrite minds at an easier pace?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, yeah," Topher said with a nervous laugh. "Kind of our reason du jour here, you know? Giving our clients what they want?"

"And the…Dolls have no say in it?"

Topher shrugged. "They signed the contracts, remember?"

The Doctor fixed Topher with a glare that made the man step back. "I'm really taking a dislike to you. I feel it's important you know that."

Boyd appeared in the doorway. "Doctor?" He turned to face the black man. "Ms. DeWitt wants to see you."

"And I do believe I want to see her," the Doctor said as he followed Boyd out. He threw a glance over his shoulder at Topher, who shivered a bit, unsure why this man made him so ill at ease.

* * *

Adelle was facing away once more as the Doctor entered with Boyd. The Doctor looked around to take in the office, nodding. "Very nice. I see manipulating people's minds pays quite well for oneself."

"Still so judgmental," Adelle smiled as she turned around. The Doctor felt a bizarre feeling come over him as he took her in. He'd never seen her before, never met her…and yet he couldn't shake the feeling he knew her quite well. The way she gazed over him with a clinical eye was bizarrely familiar as was the smile on her face.

"Thank you, Mr. Langton, you may leave us now." The man frowned but nonetheless complied. Adelle leaned back on her desk as she waited for the door to close, looking over the Doctor carefully. "Hello, Doctor. It's been quite a long time."

"I'm sorry, have we met?" he asked, frowning. "I'm bad with faces…"

She giggled. "Having seen a few of your past regenerations, I can attest to that." She smiled more at the Doctor's look of confusion. "Go on, Doctor….I can wait."

He studied her, that cool arrogance, the way she held herself so strong and proud. He listened to her clipped tones and then looked at her eyes, at how they took in everything and gave nothing back, at how cool and efficient they were, at how the mind behind them…

And he knew.

His eyes widened and his jaw fell open as he stared at her. _"Rani?"_

She let out a small laugh and nodded. "You always get there in the end, Doctor."

He shook his head as he tried to recover. "How..I thought you were dead."

"Not for the first time, I'm sure," the Rani replied. She looked him over and shook her head. "I do think this new face is an improvement but that's not saying much. At least the hair is a lot better and I never understood that patchwork quilt of a suit you wore."

The Doctor just stared at her in wonder, a goofy smile actually on his face. "Rani…I can't believe it. You're still alive."

"I believe we had established that, Doctor." She crossed her arms as she studied him. "So…what do I owe the honor of this visit? Just passing by or on another errand for the Council?"

The smile faded from the Doctor's face. "You…You don't know."

The Rani frowned. "Know what?"

The Doctor's face grew somber. "They're gone, Rani. The Council, the Time Lords, Gallifrey...They're all gone."

"Gone?" The Rani became confused. "What do you mean, gone? How can _Gallifrey_ be _gone_?"

"A Time War," the Doctor answered in a flat tone. "With the Daleks. It…burned away." His memories were filled with the horror, the screams, that horrible final choice…

The Rani stared at him in disbelief, obviously not able to believe what he was saying. She stared at the Doctor's eyes, looking for any sign of deception. At his strong and steady gaze mixed with pain, she shook her head. "I…I didn't know."

She turned to walk to a nearby cabinet, opening it and removing a bottle of brandy. She quickly poured it into a glass and took a long sip, downing half of the glass in one gulp. She poured again before turning to face the Doctor. "And…what about the Time Lords? The rest of us?"

The Doctor pointed at her and then himself before letting his arm drop. The Rani stared at him. "That….that's it? The most advanced race the universe has ever known and…no one else survived?"

"Just you and me." The Doctor paused and shrugged. "Well, and the Master."

The Rani rolled her eyes. "Of course. He always was the most remarkable survivor."

The Doctor looked down. "Not anymore." He could feel the Rani's frown. "He was Harold Saxon."

The Rani sipped at her drink as she sat heavily into the chair behind her desk. "I didn't know…I never imagined…"

The Doctor carefully walked forward to take the chair on the other side of the desk. "What happened to you?" he softly asked.

The Rani twirled the liquid in her glass, staring into it. "I ran into a…spot of trouble on Rangoss 5," she began.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. One of your pet projects backfired on you?"

"They never backfire," the Rani snapped before controlling herself. "There was just a…difficulty with the local populace. They didn't take to my work as well as I had anticipated."

"Yes, odd how people can take inhumane and invasive treatments poorly," the Doctor dryly said.

The Rani shot him one of those icy glares that remained the same no matter what face she had. "I had to leave quickly but my TARDIS was damaged too badly and I was forced to land here about a decade ago. I knew the populace had some off-world connections, enough to have someone hunt me down. So, I created a new identity for myself, impeccable credentials…"

"And then used the Chameleon Arch to become human," the Doctor finished.

"Which had to be undone a few weeks ago after an…incident here."

The Doctor glanced about. "I must be getting slow…"

"Getting?"

"Mind manipulation, twisting people about, the creation of all new personalities?" He shook his head. "This had you written all over it."

The Rani threw back her head and laughed. "Oh, Doctor. All this time and you still haven't lost that faith in these Earthlings." She supped her drink again. "I hate to ruin your disillusions….actually, no, I don't…But this Dollhouse was set up long before I came along."

"Dollhouse?" the Doctor asked. "An interesting name."

"I didn't choose it," the Rani shrugged. "Basically, the rich and powerful hire an active for any engagement they want. Hostage negotiator, mid-wife, research assistant…And more…personal needs."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "You never struck me as one for catering to others, Rani."

"Adelle DeWitt was," the Rani returned. "She's gone now. Now, I'm attempting to control the genie that's been let out of the bottle." She put her glass down. "I don't think I have to tell you what the ultimate end of this technology will be, Doctor."

He nodded, his mind already working on the probabilities. "That Topher is working on a way to wipe out minds from a distance…It's only a step and a jump to be able to wipe out the minds of an entire city from a distance with just a few phone calls."

The Rani nodded back. "By my calculations, left unchecked, this system would lead to the utter downfall of human society within twenty years, perhaps less."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you care about society?"

"I've never been a true fan of chaos, Doctor," the Rani explained. "Especially seeing as how I'm stuck on this world for the foreseeable future, I might as well make sure it runs well."

The Doctor smiled. "Taking on control? Sounds more like the Master than you."

The Rani looked downward. "If what you say is true, Doctor…then perhaps we shouldn't be held back by our pasts anymore."

He mused over that as he sat back. "So…what happens now?"

"That is the question," the Rani said as she also sat back in her chair, studying him. "I really had no idea I'd be playing host to you, Doctor. Quite frankly, I'm not used to holding prisoners."

The Doctor seemed calm. "Perhaps add me to your doll collection?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," The Rani confessed. "But we both know a Time Lord's mind may not react the same to the process." She placed her glass on the desk. "And if we truly are the last ones…Well, the idea of wiping out the only other Time Lord isn't exactly appealing to me."

She reached forward to press a button on her desk. The door opened to let a man in a suit in, his dark hair cut close to his scalp as she glanced at the Doctor. "Mr. Ballard," the Rani said, her voice shifting to a slightly cooler tone. "Doctor…Smith here will be a guest for the next few days. Make sure he's settled in comfortably…But under no circumstances is he to be allowed access without an escort."

"Understood," Ballard stated. The Doctor stood up and looked to the Rani. "For what it's worth," he began, his face impassive. "I'm sorry."

She looked down at the desk. "Apologies are a waste, Doctor. It's far too late for that."

"If there's one thing we should both know by now….It's never quite too late for us." The Doctor turned to follow Ballard. The doors shut as the Rani slowly turned her chair around to look out the windows. She stared out but it wasn't the skyline of Los Angeles she saw in her mind. It was the towers of that grand city…the plains…the oceans…The world she had so long dismissed and the people she had considered beneath her were all long gone….

And for the first time in years, the Rani felt pains of loss tearing at her two hearts.

* * *

"_So, you're sure we're set?"_

"We have to be. She's making moves on the entire corporation, trying to take over. If we want to maintain control over the Dollhouses and the company's plans, we have to move now."

"_All right. The squads will be there tomorrow morning. Be sure to pave the way for them."_

"I formed this company. Trust me, I know how to handle things." Boyd Langton shut off his cell phone as he glanced at the office above. He let a smile come to his lips as he considered how by this time tomorrow, Adelle DeWitt and her plans would be only a distant memory.

* * *

**Might have more if enough interest is given. All comments welcomed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Survivor's Hearts**

**By Michael Weyer**

**I know the initial reaction to this wasn't huge but I felt like adding another chapter on at least to see if there's more interest. All comments welcomed. **

* * *

"Easy…easy…that's it…" The Doctor made motions with his hands to the trio of men carrying the very large box into the lab. "There we go, set her down gently…"

Topher was entering the lab but stopped and stared in disbelief at the huge blue box being carted into the corner by the men. "What the hell?" he blurted. "What…what is…" He waved his hand at the TARDIS in the corner. "Why are you putting a giant phone booth in here?"

"I needed somewhere to put it," the Doctor said as if it was normal. "Hope you don't mind, but it seems to fit in well in a lab."

Topher looked around the generally clean laboratory with its tan carpets and walls and back to the Doctor. "Really."

"What is going…" The Rani stopped as she entered, staring at the box before rolling her eyes. "You _still_ haven't fixed the Chameleon Circuit?"

"I like it like this," the Doctor said in defense. "A lot easier to find. Haven't you ever had a problem figuring which tree or column was yours?" The Rani had to give a conceding nod as the Doctor checked the TARDIS over. She was wearing a looser outfit than usual, a business skirt that showed off some leg with high heels and a dark blouse with jacket but still showed her inner strength. "The old girl still has a lot of life left in her."

"Oh, please, not the 'it's really alive' theory again!" the Rani scoffed. "I've never understood your need to assign intellect to these things."

"You never had a touch of sentimentality in you."

"I never wasted time with it," the Rani snapped. "And why is it even here? You honestly believe I'm going to let you leave now?"

"Leave?" the Doctor frowned at her. "Why would I want that? Things are just getting interesting around here. You know I can't resist studying what you do."

Topher glanced from one to the other. "Um…was there something going on between you two?"

The Rani fixed him with an icy gaze. "Do not make me have to kill you." She sighed. "Fine, it can stay in here but believe me, I'm having it watched in case you decide to go jaunting about.."

"No worries on that just yet," The Doctor said. "So, what are you up to now, Rani?"

"Ms. DeWitt when we're here, Doctor," she snapped at him. "As for what I am doing, I am arranging a meeting of the various House heads, in order to set up the new guidelines."

"You still haven't gotten all the Rossum heads?" Topher frowned.

"Rome wasn't burned in a day, Mr. Brink," the Rani answered. "Getting to each Rossum leader is a bit more complicated than I had expected." She pursued her lips. "I remember now why I detest bureaucracies."

The Doctor nonchalantly ran a finger over one computer monitor as he studied the readouts on a screen. "Have you ever given any thought to what happens to these…Actives when you're done playing around, Rani?"

"They signed the contracts, Doctor," the Rani remarked. "They knew what they were getting into."

"I somehow doubt they understood the full extent of it," the Doctor coolly said. "Half of the female Actives are being forced into situations where they honestly believe they're in love with clients and have no idea they're being used." He shook his head. "I knew you had little scruples, Rani, but this is still pushing it hard."

The Rani simply looked away. "This system was in place long before I arrived, Doctor. Nothing I do would change it."

The Doctor kept staring at her. "All this time, Rani," he softly said. "All you've been through and you still can't see these humans as anything more than lab rats?"

"Please, Doctor," she sniffed. "These people have been killing themselves for centuries. They don't give each other consideration, why should I?"

"They're not animals, Rani. There's a spirit in them, a nobility, a strength that will span the stars…"

"And nearly end them a dozen times over," the Rani snapped. "You always see them in their best, Doctor, never their true nature."

"And you never let yourself see them as anything other than animals," he retorted.

Her eyes narrowed angrily as she leaned in. "Are you going to start lecturing me, Doctor? Because I hardly feel I'm alone when it comes to horrific actions." At his frown, she sniffed. "Come now. Did you really believe I wouldn't figure it out? The only way you could survive when everyone else died is if you had been the one to set it off."

The Doctor's face fell. "I didn't have a choice," he half-whispered.

"Is that what makes you feel better at night?"

"You know what?" Topher spoke up, raising his hands. "I'm gonna…leave right now and….just leave." He slowly backed out of the room as he moved away. He let the door shut behind him, leaving the Doctor and the Rani staring at each other. The Doctor's face slowly fell as he let out a sigh. "What are we doing?"

The Rani frowned as he went on. "It's just us, Rani. We're the only ones left and here we are bringing up old wounds."

The Rani turned away. "I don't wish to discuss this."

"You can't tell me you don't feel anything, Rani," the Doctor said. "Despite all your disdain for our fellow Time Lords, you must have something in you when you heard. Even the Master was affected."

The Rani seemed interested in a nearby data readout. "He let emotions govern him far too often. That's one thing you two always had in common." She shook her head. "Honestly, I could never understand how you let a childish rivalry get to such a ridiculous degree."

The Doctor just stared at her somberly. "You used to be happier. I remember you actually smiling back in school."

"We were children, Doctor," the Rani said, her back to him. "We all grew up. At least some of us did."

"I suppose," the Doctor mused. He frowned as he looked at her. "I've already figured that we are in the same timeframe and all. That is, this isn't a past incarnation of yours. But I do have to ask, how many are you up to?"

The Rani made a small smile of actual amusement. "Really, Doctor. You know a Time Lady never tells the number of regenerations she's had."

The Doctor sighed. "It's a different time, Rani. A new universe, new possibilities. You don't have to keep on the old path."

She turned to him with a soft smirk. "Always the kind heart, Doctor. I wager you even offered a refuge to the Master."

"I did, as a matter of fact," he replied as he leaned on a table. "I didn't feel it right to let him pay too harshly. But…he let himself die." His face was downcast as he remembered the moment all too well.

The Rani turned to him, frowning. "Really? That doesn't sound like him at all."

The Doctor shrugged. "Apparently, he decided it was better to cheat me out of victory, leave me all alone."

"Still…" the Rani mused. "Just giving up and dying? The man did everything possible to keep living. Are you sure he's dead?"

"I burned his body."

"With him, that rarely means much," the Rani pointed out. "I'd double-check if I were you."

"Maybe another time," the Doctor shrugged as he turned to a console. "Seeing as how I'm here for the near future, I might as well try to soften some of the moves you'll be making."

The Rani scoffed. "Always trying to put the genie back into the bottle, Doctor. This technology was around a long while before I came along, it won't be going away." She turned to head toward the door. "I'll be in my office. Do try not to make too large a mess around here if you can avoid it."

"You make it sound like it's always my fault things happen to me."

"One way or another, it often is," the Rani said as she exited. The Doctor pursed his lips before nodding in agreement.

* * *

For centuries, the Rani had taught herself to always keep her emotions in tight control. Personal feelings far too often got in the way of the vital work she needed to complete. True, she'd had a few shifts now and then (her fourth regeneration was a period she much preferred to ignore if she could) but she did her best to maintain that cool control. She certainly wasn't going to show any weakness before her underlings. Yet, the Rani had always tried to be honest with herself (if no one else) and knew the Doctor's words had gotten to her. As much as she had turned her back on Gallifrey, she was still a Time Lord, renegade or not. To find out that she and the Doctor were the only ones left did hurt her. To be an outcast was one thing but to be one of the few survivors was an altogether different animal.

She tried to brush that aside as she entered her office. The past was the past, even a time traveler had to adhere to rules on that. She had the future to consider, a future of quite a few challenges, represented by the man waiting for her in the office. "We've had some difficulties with the Paris House," Boyd Langton stated in his usual cool manner. "Two more unauthorized contracts taken in the last week."

The Rani pursed her lips. "I told Topher he needed to work better on the translation for the signals. Wiping minds is easy enough but sending the new commands makes no sense when they can't understand them." She moved to her desk. "Make sure they understand the consequences of such unwanted actions."

Langton seemed to study her. "What about this Doctor person? Why give him free rein?"

"I have my reasons, Mr. Langton," the Rani replied. "Anything else?"

"Some new contracts recently composed," Langton said. "I put them on your desk."

The Rani turned to the papers. "I really should look into getting my own assistant. I have far too much on my plate to bother with such minor matters. I wonder if we can imprint someone to-"

When she would have the time, the Rani would reflect on the irony of what happened. Had this occurred a few weeks earlier, when she was still Adelle DeWitt, she would have been easy prey. But the sense of danger instilled in her by a few lifetimes of risk blared out, telling her it was time to move. As such, she was able to whirl around, avoiding the whisp of air indicating something was being fired by her neck. The Rani barely noted the dart buried into the leather seat behind her desk. She was already moving fast, reaching for a bottle on her desk.

Langton was jarred at the speed the woman showed. He had expected to be able to tranq her with no problem, he certainly didn't believe she'd be able to dodge that. That surprise was enough of a distraction for Adelle to hurl the bottle of brandy off her desk right at him. It struck the gun in his hands, knocking him back as she moved quickly to slam her hand on a button.

However, it was her turn to be jarred as the loud blaring alarm that should have been activated failed to register. "I already disconnected it," Langton said as he raised his regular pistol, aimed right at her head. "I'd prefer if you didn't make this messy, Adelle. I'd rather hate to mess up that pretty body with a bullet in a joint."

The Rani froze, her eyes focused on him, her mind whirling quickly to figure out her options. "I'm to assume, Mr. Langton, that a coup is in effect?"

He smiled darkly. "Actually, Adelle…it's more taking back what was originally mine." He moved toward the desk, his gun never leaving her as he pressed some buttons on the console built into it. The Rani felt herself glancing toward the nearby wall of monitors as a quartet of vans made their way into the parking garage. They disgorged a pack of men, most in black jumpsuits, some in regular business suits, all packing firepower. "If you truly value the lives of the people here, I'd suggest you order them to stand down now," Langton stated, his voice still cool and firm. "Otherwise, their blood is on your hands."

He couldn't help but feel a bit thrown when she simply smiled at him. "Mr. Langton…They wouldn't even be a blemish."

* * *

The Doctor was making his way down one of the hallways of the main room when he heard the sounds of gunfire echoing down the hallway. "Oh, drat," he muttered under his breath. "I knew things had been too quiet for too long." His hand dived into his coat pocket to grasp his sonic screwdriver as he began to move toward the stairs. He was bounding up to the second flight of them when the lower level doors burst open and a pack of black-suited men with automatic weapons stormed in. One fired a blast at the ceiling and it took the Doctor a moment to realize it was more than just a scare tactic.

In normal circumstances, with normal people, the sound of gunfire caused instant screams and panic. In a building of Actives, men and women whose minds had basically been placed into a childlike state, the effect was far more dramatic. To many, gunshots were a completely foreign concept, like thunder taken to the tenth level. Thus, reacting to their basic instincts, they fell to the ground, holding hands over their ears, some crying out but too terrified to move. The regular workers weren't that much better, diving for cover or frozen in place. A few suited people went for weapons but the gunmen, with no hesitation, opened fire, killing three handlers instantly. The Doctor could see two ducking behind a couch to exchange fire but the odds were definitely against them.

As one who had been in situations like this far more often than he cared to remember, the Doctor decided to listen to his own instincts as he raced up the stairway toward the lab. One of the men below saw him and fired a stretch of bullets that raked the wall right before the Doctor. He froze and looked down with annoyance. "Oi! That was original hand-carved Mandali there! You just don't shoot that up!"

The gunman seemed surprised at the rather blasé reaction to his attack. Another volley of gunfire erupted but this came from the landing before the Doctor. The gunman went down as the Doctor turned to see the handsome man named Paul Ballard firing his pistol at the men below. Next to him was Echo, her face set as she opened up with a sub-machine gun of her own. The Doctor noted that while Ballard had no qualms aiming at the men below, Echo seemed more interested in scaring them back rather than hitting anyone.

He moved to where they were, making a smile. "I rather hope this bloodshed isn't a common occurrence around here."

"You know what the hell is going on?" Ballard demanded.

"Nope. As per usual, I'm just the random bystander in these things." He peered over the stairway as he saw the gunmen start to move down the stairs. The Doctor's eyes trailed over to the side of the staircase where it was bolted into the wall. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the bolts and activated it. The whine rang out as the bolts began to spin at high speeds, pulling themselves out of the wall. Just as the gunmen started to reach that section, the staircase gave way under them, causing a loud ruckus as it smashed to the floor with a few of the black-suited men falling on it.

Echo and Ballard stared at him in surprise as he let out a laugh. "You know, all these years, first time I've ever really unscrewed something with this thing!" He rose to his feet and ran toward the laboratory. Exchanging a baffled look, Echo and Ballard quickly followed him. Echo slammed the doors shut behind them and threw the lock before pulling a large table across it. "That won't hold them for long once they get up here," Ballard noted as he reloaded his gun.

Echo moved to a console, tapping her fingers across the keys. She cursed as she saw the screen going blank. "They've already locked the system up!"

"Ten to one, Topher's either dead or they have him," Ballard said. He turned to see the Doctor using his key to open up the TARDIS. "What are you doing? There's no way we can hide in that!"

"Oh, not hiding, dear boy," the Doctor replied as he opened the door. He turned to them and waved a hand in. "Come on then, alons-y already!"

Ballard and Echo once more exchanged baffled glances. Echo heard the storm of boots coming down the halls and looked over her shoulder to see a trio of black-suited men coming toward the lab. One was already firing his gun, the bullet-resistant glass shaking under the high-caliber rounds. "Shit," Echo hissed as she backed toward the TARDIS. Seeing few other options, Ballard decided to follow her inside.

The Doctor was already at the console, throwing switches to shut the door and activate the force field around it. He adjusted a knob to make sure the TARDIS was stationary for the moment. Right now, they just needed protection, not escape. He moved toward a nearby console to start pushing on a few buttons. "I don't suppose either of you have the frequency for the main communications lines for your House?"

Ballard and Echo were frozen in place, both staring with open mouths at the interior of the TARDIS. "How…what the hell…" Echo breathed while Ballard simply waved a hand around as if trying to make sure this massive space was really inside the small box. "What is this?" Echo finally demanded.

"No time for small talk," the Doctor said as he activated a scanner, watching a series of lines swing about. "I've got bigger fries to fish for!"

Echo slowly walked up the rampway to the main console, her eyes taking everything in. "What the hell is this?"

"My ship," the Doctor stated. "I'd love to chat about my personal life a lot more but we do have more pressing matters at hand." His hand froze as he slowly looked up.

"What?" Echo frowned at him. "What is it?"

"Me rescuing the Rani," the Doctor mused before chuckling. "Oh, this will drive her mad for centuries." He grinned. "All the more reason to do it."

* * *

Boyd Langton couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

He shouldn't have. He had the Dollhouse completely secured with a minimum of bloodshed. The security forces had been defeated, the systems in lockdown and all the Actives rounded up and locked in their pods. He was in total control as he stood in the main office with a dozen men around him, all heavily armed.

And yet, Langton couldn't help but feel some nervousness due to the fact that Adelle DeWitt was showing absolutely no signs of being intimidated. She sat calmly in a chair, legs crossed, her wrists handcuffed to the chair but still making it look like a throne. Her face was utterly clam and almost seemed bemused at the circumstances around her. Langton had to remind himself that he the one in charge now. He just had to prove it to her.

"You had a good run, Adelle," he stated. "But you had to know this was going to happen in the end."

"Actually, I had a completely different idea of the end in mind," the Rani replied in a nonchalant tone. "I do have to congratulate you, Mr. Langton. I haven't been genuinely caught off-guard in quite a long time. I had almost thought surprises were beyond me but you proved me wrong."

"Happy to oblige," Langton smiled. He looked over as the doors opened and two men dragged Topher into the room. The young man had a split lip and a bruise growing under one eye as she was shoved into a chair next to the Rani. "Watch the arm!" he snapped, rubbing it. His eyes widened as he saw Langton in the middle of the group. "Boyd? What the hell, man?"

"While I would not put it anywhere near as in concise, I must agree with Topher's question," the Rani stated. "Just what is your course of action here, Mr. Langton? And, more importantly, exactly how are you capable of independent decision making?"

"You mean after you wiped my mind to follow your orders?" Langton smiled. "It was a good attempt, Adelle. Far more daring than I gave you credit for. But sadly for you, my periodic backups allowed me to have my mind restored and protected from more of your meddling."

Topher frowned. "Hold up. Since when do you have backup memory files? You're not an Active!"

Langton's smile grew. "Why shouldn't I have them, Topher? After all…I formed Rossum. I certainly should have taken part in the technology I helped create."

Topher stared in total shock, his jaw open. "Wow. I did not see that one coming."

The Rani simply raised an eyebrow, all the surprise she was willing to show at the moment. "All this time, you've been hiding as one of your own employees? You pretend to be an underling, pretend to allow me to boss you around, all so you can watch your power and influence spread and discover the true potential of the Actives?"

"Angry?" Langton asked.

"On the contrary, Mr. Langton, or whatever your name is, my respect for you suddenly knows no bounds."

Langton bowed his head before his expression hardened. "I wish it hadn't come to this, Adelle. I really do. But you've been out of control for far too long. While I deeply appreciate the new method of wiping minds, it's time to rein you in." He smiled but it was without mirth. "I'll give you a chance, more than you deserve. Give me the specs on the new tech and you'll be allowed to live."

"In the Attic, no doubt," the Rani said. "Sorry, Mr. Langton but I can't give it to you."

Langton sighted as he pulled his gun out from under his jacket. He placed it right to Topher's head and cocked the hammer back. The man let out a gasp and started to shake in his chair as Langton glared at the Rani. "Give it or his brains stain this rather lovely carpet of yours."

The Rani stared right back. "Do it."

"Excuse me?" Topher squeaked.

"Do it," the Rani repeated, ignoring him. "Kill him, kill a dozen, a hundred, it doesn't matter. I don't concede defeat, Mr. Langton and I don't give up my work. So it doesn't matter to me what you do, my methods are mine alone."

Langton blinked as he stared in her eyes and saw nothing but cool determination there. He realized this was no bluff or trick, she was truly serious about this. Topher's eyes were closed as he appeared to be having trouble holding back tears. "I'll give you until the count of five, Adelle…"

"Five," she stated. Her eyebrow went up. "Or was that too high a number for you?"

Before Langton could reply, a loud screeching sound came over the room. Everyone turned to see the monitors nearby switch to a blank screen one-by-one. Everyone was confused except for the Rani, whose lips began tugging upward. "What's going on?" Langton demanded.

A suited technician checked over the monitors. "It's some sort of outside signal…Very powerful."

"Where is it coming from?" Langton demanded.

"I believe it's far more important _who_ it's coming from."

Langton turned to face her. The Rani's face was still impassive but her eyes suddenly seemed to gleam with a new energy. Langton frowned before glancing to one of his men. "Did you see someone called Doctor Smith in the ranks of the captives?" At the frowns around him, Langton sighed and looked to Adelle. "You're telling me that's your friend out there."

"I wouldn't go so far as to call us friends," the Rani replied. "But I do know him. And it's because of that, I'm giving you a chance to surrender right now."

It was Langton's turn to raise a disbelieving eyebrow. "Oh, really? In case you haven't noticed, Adelle, he's heavily outnumbered."

"That doesn't matter," the Rani brushed aside. "What matters is that you have this chance, Mr. Langton. This one chance and that's all you get." Her eyes narrowed and her voice became low and sharp. "Because any moment now, he is going to say four words. And in my long experience with him, Mr. Langton, when he says those four words, that's it. You're done. You're over. There is no hope left for you. When he says those four words, it doesn't matter how many guns or how many men or how much power you have, they are nothing against those four words. Those four words have defeated armies. They have destroyed the most monstrous dictators. They have brought down governments. They have transformed societies. They have set fire to planets and have chilled stars. There are entire civilizations that no longer exist because they have heard those four words. That's why you should take this one chance given to you, Mr. Langton because if you don't, you will hear him say those four words and at that point, you will have crossed the line of no return. Because when he says those four words, there is no force in all the heavens and all the earths that can possibly save you."

Langton had to stare at her speech. The buzzing cut through once more and everyone turned to see the screens come alive with the image of a man, his smiling, friendly face filling every screen as he made a short wave and spoke.

"_Hello. I'm the Doctor."_

The Rani smiled. "Too late."

* * *

**Thanks for all patient for an update here. Hopefully, if I get more of a reaction, I can have it up a bit quicker. All comments welcomed. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Survivor's Hearts**

**By Michael Weyer**

* * *

Boyd Langton was calm as he faced the man on the screen. "Doctor Smith," he said in a calm voice. "You should know there's no reason to threaten me. We have you outnumbered and outgunned."

_"That's a regular Friday for me," _the Doctor said with a friendly smile. _"You strike me as a reasonable man, Mr. Langton and it's quite the refreshing change for me to meet one. So I'll make this as quick and clear as I can. Simply take those silly guns of yours and the men carrying them and leave this installation alone. Leave Adelle DeWitt unharmed. Leave this entire Dollhouse operation, get into another line of work, something honest would be nice but anything will really do. Do all that and we can simply let this go and head on our own merry ways."_

Langton smiled broadly. "I don't think you're in much of a position to negotiate with us, Doctor. If you come out of hiding now, I promise not to kill you. If not, I cannot make such guarantees."

_"Tempting as that is, I'll pass. But I will make a counter-offer. You simply surrender and you get a chance to walk away with no harm."_

Langton's smile widened. "Does this 'surrender now' line ever work?"

_"I truly wish it did," _the Doctor sighed with regret. _"I should warn you in advance that I was never comfortable with this whole bit of wiping out people's minds and using them for your own ends. Call it a pet peeve. I'd rather settle this with a lack of utter bloodshed, as unlikely as that sounds. So, how about it, let bygones be and all?"_

Langton lost his smile. "We are in control here, Doctor, not you. Give it up now before you regret it."

The Doctor looked at him with what appeared to be true sadness. "_I gave you a chance," _he finally said quietly. _"Do remember that later."_There was a buzz of static before the picture faded.

Langton turned to an aide. "Make sure we're locked down, then go floor by floor, room by room. I want him found." He turned to Adelle, cocking his gun. "I really want to resolve this easily, Adelle."

"You've ruined that already, Mr. Langton," the Rani said, her face calm as ever and now marked with a deep smile of amusement. "You've unleashed the gates of pure chaos upon your head and you don't even know it." She made a show of glancing at her watch. "I give you, at the charitable most, thirty-seven minutes, Mr. Langton." She looked up, the smile tightening. "And then the walls come tumbling down around you."

* * *

The Doctor paused to let out a regretful sigh as he turned the communications device off. "Just once, it'd be nice to do this the easy way," he remarked. He then shrugged, forcing a smile as he turned to the rest of the TARDIS. "Best to get started then."

Echo and Ballard were still staring in disbelief at the massive space inside of the small box. "Hello?" the Doctor clapped his hands. "Yes, I know, it's a bit overwhelming first time out but I really need your attention here."

They stared over at him, Ballard waving a hand. "How…where did you find this?"

"A very long story we don't have time for," the Doctor said as he adjusted a control on the console. He focused on Echo. "Now, you're one of these 'Actives,' correct?"

"Yeah," she said.

"She's kind of different," Ballard put in. "She remembers her wipes, she access her other personalities…"

He was cut off by the Doctor holding up a finger at him. "You. Not talking now." He pointed it at Echo. "You. Head different, can be key." He turned to point to a hall. "My lab." He began to walk hurriedly toward her, Echo and Ballard exchanging a baffled look before following him.

Ten minutes later (after walking through a half-dozen twisting hallways, including one that appeared to be on its side), Echo was sitting in a chair with a large device upon her head. It was the size and shape of a large fruit bowl with twenty different wires attached to it. Echo was having a hard time holding her head straight under it as the Doctor adjusted some controls. "Right, right, hold it steady." He looked over to Ballard, who stood at a large machine nearby, his palm pressing on a button. "Just hold that steady, do not move it."

Ballard did so while looking around the lab. It was twice the size of Topher's and the machinery around it was three times as complicated, devices and wires and cables that Ballard had no clue to the purpose of. The Doctor looked at the nearby scanner that showed a three-dimensional image of Echo's mind. "Hmm….interesting….Quite amazing. Have to admit, is fascinating how you can use that extra brain matter to cram so much in." He checked a reading. "And here…we…are." He pointed at a glowing part of the brain. "Here's our little trick."

"What?" Ballard asked, leaning forward.

The Doctor whirled. "Do not move!" he snapped and Ballard stepped back, pressing on the button. The Doctor pointed at the screen. "To make this simple…" He paused, turning to study Ballard, then looked back at the screen. "To make this very, very simple, your lovely lady here has a unique twist in her brain setup, no doubt from birth. It's thanks to that she was able to resist the mindwipes. No matter how much you try, you can't totally erase something, there will always be traces." He tracked the path the neural glow followed. "Hmmm….so take this, give it a bit of a shake and it can be replicated in other minds as well." He smiled. "Which means, with a bit of fine-tuning, the rest of the Actives can be just like Echo here, know all their past skills and use them."

"How does that help us?" Ballard demanded.

The Doctor pulled the headset off of Echo as he helped her off the chair. "It means, dear boy, that we have an army waiting to be unleashed right within the House walls. All we have to do is set the signal off and viola or however you pronounce it."

Ballard watched as the Doctor headed to a table loaded with about six feet of various mechanical devices strewn about in no order. "Ah, can I stop holding this now that you're done with that scanner?"

The Doctor glanced at him with surprise. "Oh, right, that had nothing to do with the scanner. That's the tea-maker."

He walked off as Ballard just stared, wondering just what sort of lunatic he'd mixed himself up with this time.

* * *

"How hard is it to find one man?" Langton demanded to the underling who'd just reported no luck in finding the Doctor. "It's not that big a place!"

"Twenty-two minutes," the Rani calmly announced. Somehow, she'd gotten a file and was actually working on her nails as she sat in the chair. Topher, handcuffed to his own seat, just stared at her in disbelief. "I'd be advising your men to start the engines on your cars right about now."

Langton glared at her as he pulled out his gun. "I want you alive, Adelle. That doesn't mean your body has to be intact."

She looked up and once more, Langton was struck by the coldness in her eyes. "Do not think to threaten me like any other flea, Mr. Langton. I've met the Marquis de Sade. He had you beat cold when it came to intimidation and he was a complete madman, if strangely compelling company."

Not for the first time, Langton found himself wondering about Adelle's sanity. He cocked the gun, aiming it at Topher. "One more word of resistance, Adelle…"

"We've already been through this, Mr. Langton," she cut him off. "I won't give you any aid, no matter what you do, so you might as well put a bullet through his brain now."

"Adelle, please don't tempt him," Topher moaned.

"Grow a backbone already," she snapped. "Honestly, Topher, a man of such intellect should be able to handle these situations better." She looked to Langton. "Nineteen minutes."

Langton was about to aim the gun at her knee and pull the trigger when the sound of gunfire erupted from below. He whirled to gaze at the nearby monitors that showed the security feeds to the main room and his eyes widened in shock. Every single active was on their feet and taking out the guards with a variety of deadly martial arts moves. After being little more than neutered pets for the better part of an hour, the sudden change to hard-bitten fighters caught the sentries by surprise, giving the Actives the opening to take most of them down before they realized what was happening. A few got off shots but one Active leapt in a somersault to kick him in the face, knocking the gun back. Already, others were grabbing the guns from the ground to fire back and take the attack to their former captors.

"I'll be damned," the Rani muttered, glancing at her watch. "He's actually ahead of time for a change."

Langton whirled to his men. "Get out there and try to put them down!"

"Sir, what about…" One man nodded to the Rani and Topher.

"I'll keep an eye on them," Langton said. "Go!" They were quick to obey, Langton letting out a sigh as he turned to the Rani and aimed his gun at her. "You call him off, Adelle."

She threw back her head and let out an honest laugh that infuriated him even more. "Mr. Langton," she said once she'd stopped. "I'd be better off trying to rein in a hurricane. Actually, I've done that with much better success than anyone has ever had containing that man's actions."

He cocked the gun and she rolled her eyes. "Rassilon's ghost, and I thought the Master had a flair for the melodramatic."

Langton set his jaw as his finger tightened on the trigger. "I'll give you one more chance to do something before I give you a limp for life, Adelle."

She pursed her lips as if in serious thought. "I suppose I should do something, Mr. Langton." She looked him in the eye without any humor in her voice or her gaze. "I should tell you that I picked these cuffs three minutes ago."

The blur of light on steel was all the warning Langton had before the cuffs slammed into his face. He was knocked back, stunned as the Rani rose up and grabbed his wrist with one hand as the other struck with the palm on his nose. Langton yelled in pain as his nose was shattered, bleeding as he fell back. The Rani lashed out her foot to catch him in the groin, grabbing his head and smashing it into the desk. Langton slumped to the floor, bleeding from the head.

The Rani took a deep breath to set herself before brushing her hair back. "That was bracing," she acknowledged.

The door burst open as Echo entered, toting an assault rifle. She looked at the Rani and lowered it. "You ok?"

"As best as can be expected," she replied. "I assume the Doctor is behind this?"

Echo nodded as she moved to uncuff Topher. "He somehow figured a way to activate all the Dolls, get them to remember all their skills."

The Rani smiled. "Very daring of him. It appears he may actually have let go of some of those annoying scruples of his."

"He said it was just temporary," Echo told her as she took the cuffs to manacle Ballard. "He wants to change them back to normal as soon as he can."

"I should have known it was too good to last," the Rani sighed. "Where is he?"

"Topher's lab," Echo answered. "He's doing something with the main systems. He won't' explain what it is." She glanced at him. "You know his ship is a lot bigger on the inside than it is on the outside?"

"Ship?" Topher asked. "What ship?"

The Rani ignored him as she made her way to the door. "I'll be over there." She pointed at Langton. "Keep him unconscious and secure."

"That mean I get to hit him?"

"Feel free to indulge your inner violence," the Rani said as she walked out. She made her way calmly through the halls, ignoring the fighting all around her as if it was just a light rain. She walked into the lab to see the Doctor wrapping a large cord around one console while attaching it to the special chair in the middle. "Dare I even ask?"

The Doctor plugged the cords in and adjusted the wires. "Taking out just the one House isn't enough. They'll just rebuild."

"Agreed," the Rani nodded. "But it can't be done remotely unless you're in the central Rossum headquarters in D.C."

The Doctor shook his head. "That was always your problem, so lateral, didn't take the massive leaps in reasoning." He frowned. "Unless, of course, it involved the ethical treatment of humans."

"Let's not start that now," the Rani snapped. "What are you doing?"

The Doctor's fingers flew over a keyboard as he entered a series of commands. "Linking the Houses up. All of them." He pointed his sonic screwdriver at a panel as he kept typing, the whirring sound activating and the screens coming alive. Realizing what he was doing, the Rani moved to the other side of the room, typing furiously herself to bring up more data screens. "This is insane," she said even as she began calling up file after file.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that…"

"A massive alteration of every Active in every House?" the Rani demanded.

"Not alteration," the Doctor said, adjusting some dials on the chair. "Deactivation."

The Rani stopped to stare at him. "You…" She realized she was gaping, something she'd sworn to never do and shut her mouth. "You want…to deactivate every mindwipe in every Active at once?"

The Doctor nodded. "That's it in a nutshell."

"I'd drop the shell part," the Rani exclaimed. "You don't think this is a mistake?"

"I learn from my mistakes."

"In which case, you should be a PhD."

The Doctor looked up. "Was that an attempt at irony?"

"I was going for dry wit."

"You didn't have a sense of humor before."

"Laugh lines are better than worry lines." The Rani rubbed her face. "You are going to undo the programming for every Active at once?"

"Not just that," the Doctor stated. "Also unleashing a little worm into the systems to wipe out every part of the data that can rebuild all this." He pushed a few more keys. "Hopefully, anyone who gets it into their heads to try this again may find it worth so much effort."

"Every one of the Actives…"

"Think of it as letting them out of the contracts early," the Doctor said as he adjusted the knobs on the chair.

The Rani shook her head. "Insane. You are still utterly insane." She paused and smiled. "I can't believe how much I've missed that."

The Doctor threw her a smile. "Time to embrace the wild side at last." He rose up, holding up his screwdriver. "Ready?"

"To destroy two decades of work by hundreds to alter the lives of hundreds more across the country and take down one of the most powerful corporations on the planet? All in less than a minute?" The Rani smiled. "I haven't had such fun in ages."

"I wouldn't call it fun," the Doctor shrugged. "Merely necessary and expedient."

"I rather understand that."

"And yet we have different definitions of what that entails," the Doctor remarked. "Ah, well." He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the chair and took a breath before activating it. The whirring sound filled the air as the chair lit up, shaking hard. The wires sparked as the screens began to flash and shake, blurring as energy flowed through them. There was a blur as file after file came up, each one flashing the word "deactivated" across it. The Doctor gave a satisfied nod as the process took forty-three seconds before the chair wound down and the screens went blank.

Popping the screwdriver back into his front jacket pocket, the Doctor briskly paced out the lab, the Rani following. They found the main room quiet, everyone standing around in various states of confusion, some talking in whispers but most just looking around with no idea of their surroundings. There was an exception, the Doctor noted. Two Actives, one a handsome hunky male, the other an attractive female with exotic features, were looking at each other with smiles as if recognizing one another. The Doctor glanced out the corner of his eye to see the Rani frowning and if he didn't know better, he'd swear she was actually feeling some remorse at that pair.

"Hello, all," the Doctor called out, getting the attention of the people gathered. "I know, this is rather confusing, I apologize for the disruption and all but believe me, it's all for a good cause and I dare you to prove otherwise. However, rest assured, there will be people here to handle this soon enough."

"There will?" the Rani asked.

"Well, I'm assuming," the Doctor shrugged. "Truth to tell, was rather more concerned about the whole 'undo the Actives' thing to realize the aftermath."

The Rani rolled her eyes. "The more the face changes…"

The Doctor ignored her as he saw Ballard entering. "Ah, Ballard, my good man!" he called out, waving. The agent frowned as he stepped forward. "I'm assuming you still have contacts at the FBI?" He glanced to Adelle. "Yes, I do listen to other people better now." He looked back to Ballard. "I'd be giving them a ring right about now, call them in to help settle all this."

"Hey, Doctor?" He turned to see Echo coming up, Topher behind her. The two were leading over Langton, who was looking around with the same dazed expression as the others. "When that buzzing went out, he went as whacky as everyone else."

Langton looked about. "Did I fall asleep?"

Topher shook his head. "Boyd was…an Active?"

"Actually, my guess would be that Mr. Langton is the latest body to house the mental template of the Dollhouse founder," the Rani stated, studying the man with great interest. "With that gone, he's reverted to his former persona, such as it was."

"What about the template then?" Topher asked. "The original guy?"

The Doctor let out a fatalistic shrug. "Gone. Not totally deleted but scattered into various systems to the point where reintegrating it might be impossible."

Topher licked his lips. "So, um…what happens now?"

"Now," the Doctor grinned. "You can all move on to wonderful fresh lives, no doubt with some large settlements as the government will probably want to keep this as quiet as they can to avoid the public fallout."

"And Topher," the Rani smiled. "I'm rather certain you will be in high demand by any one of a dozen major corporations and agencies." The smile tightened. "Do try to see this as a way to change your life."

"Um, yeah, sure, change is good!" Topher exclaimed, nodding furiously. "Real good!"

"Excuse me?" They turned to see Victor and Sierra coming up, holding hands. "Does this mean…we're done?"

"With the Dollhouse, yes." The Doctor smiled. "With each other…I rather doubt it." He glanced at his watch. "Well, I'd best be off, lots to do. Was wonderful meeting you all and good luck!" He turned to head back to the lab. The Rani paused to look at Victor, then at Sierra. "For the best," she softly said. She then turned to follow the Doctor, letting the others look at each other in confusion.

* * *

The Doctor was opening the door to the TARDIS when the Rani caught up to him. "Still leaving without experiencing the fallout of your actions?"

"One thing we always had in common," the Doctor noted. He paused and turned to her. "So what are your plans now?"

The Rani shrugged. "I suppose try to find a new life here. It shouldn't be too hard to set up a new identity, a new job, make some nice moves behind the scenes." She sighed. "I'm not a fan of this planet, of course, but one must make do."

"Yes, one must." The Doctor was quiet for a moment, leaning on the TARDIS door. "You could come with me."

The Rani blinked in surprise. "I…what?"

"Come with me," the Doctor repeated, this time as a request. "I know you, Rani. Three weeks and you'll either be bored silly or up to something that will have the authorities on your tail for years. But out there…able to travel again…seeing other planets, other cultures…"

She bit her lip, considering it but shook her head. "It would never work."

"Why not?"

"We don't even like each other."

The Doctor's face softened. "We're the only ones left, Rani. You and me. And I don't know about you, but I'm rather tired of being alone."

The Rani narrowed her eyes. "If this remotely approaches the topic of restarting our species…"

The Doctor threw up his hands. "I get that enough from humans, not you too!" He opened the door wide and spread his arm out. The Rani looked at it, mulling it over, then smiled. "Oh, like it's that hard a choice and you know it." She moved forward, brushing past him to enter the TARDIS.

She looked around, taking in its interior. "You've redecorated."

"You know how it is," the Doctor said as he moved past her and to the console, flicking switches. The motor started its grinding as the ship took off, vanishing from the lab. "So…where to?"

The Rani tapped a finger to her lips. "I suppose anywhere, anytime is a good start."

The Doctor smiled. He didn't forget her crimes. He never would. He knew who she was at her hearts and someone like that didn't change overnight.

But for now…he wasn't alone. And, for a time, that would be worth any price of company.

* * *

**Coming Soon…**

_"Hello. I'm the Doctor."_

_"And I'm the Rani."_

_**The duo running down corridors.**_

_**The Doctor in Victorian London facing Cybermen.**_

_**The Rani atop a floating balloon.**_

_**The Doctor waving to the Rani before a familiar curly-haired figure. **_

_"Ah, yes, Mel, you remember the Rani, don't you?"_

_**Mel gaping. **_

_**The two bursting into a room of well-dressed guests with Sarah Jane Smith startled at the altar. **_

_"Stop this wedding!" _

_**The Rani on horseback trying to catch up to a locomotive as the Doctor hangs onto its roof.**_

_**The Rani using her own sonic screwdriver on a door.**_

_**A water-filled corpse shuffling towards the Doctor.**_

_"You can't do this, Doctor. You can't be as damned as I am."_

_**River Song mingling at a high-class party filled with aliens. **_

_"I'm sorry for you, Doctor. Sorry for how it will end for you and her."_

_**SG-1 held in a cell as the Doctor works on the lock for it. **_

_**A figure in the middle of the TARDIS bursting with light.**_

_**Atlantis filled with soldiers. **_

_**Jennifer Keller smiling broadly at the Doctor. **_

_"Hello, you."_

_**Explosions across Gallifrey.**_

_**Daleks roaming through a Western town**__**.**_

_**A white-haired figure turning to the camera. **_

_"My name is the Master."_

_"Your song is ending. Not just yours, either."_

_**DAVID TENNANT**_

_**OLIVIA WILLIAMS**_

_**DOCTOR WHO**_

* * *

**Hope interest is high enough to get to all that. Comments are all welcomed. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Survivor's Hearts**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Had thought of a different start to adventures but wanted to get to this tale so hopefully you'll enjoy.**

* * *

The Doctor whistled under his breath as he adjusted the TARDIS console. He was dressed in his usual tan suit with tennis shoes, upbeat as he watched the rotor move up and down. He enjoyed these periods of silence, the expectations of the next journey and where the TARDIS would take him this time. At the sound of footsteps, he smiled a bit wider. Despite himself, he had to admit, it felt good traveling with someone else. Even her.

The Rani entered the room, her hair cut a bit shorter now. She was clad in a nice fitting outfit, red and black vest coat over a dark shirt, matching pants and was slipping on a pair of black gloves. "One might make some intriguing observations about you having an entire female wardrobe closet in various sizes in a permanent place," she intoned.

"Comes in handy," the Doctor noted. "Doesn't matter what time period or species, women always have a need to look fashionable." He smiled at her. "That includes you as well. Well, most of the time. I remember that ridiculous hairdo you had when you kidnapped me after my sixth regeneration…"

The Rani glared at him as she came up to the console, flicking some switches. "Lovely as it has been reminiscing, Doctor…"

"We spent three hours arguing the ethics of what I did."

"I think I'm ready to stretch my legs a bit." She flicked some switches as the rotor moved up, then slowed to a stop. "There we go."

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"We've landed."

"No, we haven't."

"Yes, we have," the Rani patiently replied. "I just landed us."

"But…what about…" The Doctor made an odd noise with his mouth. "You know, that sound it makes when we land?"

The Rani stared at him with an expression of "how are you still alive?" "It's not supposed to make that sound! You leave the brakes on!"

The Doctor frowned. "Really?" He shrugged. "Well, I like it."

The Rani rolled her eyes as she followed him to the door. The Doctor paused to slide on his long coat from a hanger nearby before opening it. "Where are we, anyway?" the Rani asked. She took a moment to adjust to their surroundings. They were in a huge grey corridor which led to a even larger chamber. Aliens of various types mingled about the railings and tunnels of the circular chamber, heading into various rooms. All around the area, from walls to ceilings, were a series of clear tubes in which packages, envelopes and other objects whisked about at high speed.

"Welcome to Cornerstone," the Doctor announced with a wave of his hand. "As the name implies, it's a central hub of this particular spot in space/time, communication center and outpost for message gathering."

"I'll be sure to pick up a brochure," the Rani said. "Why are we here?'

"Oh, I need to check my mail."

The Rani was positive she hadn't heard correctly. "I beg your pardon?"

The Doctor walked down a corridor toward one room. He had removed a card and held it up to a scanner, the light playing off the card surface. With a loud beep, the white door slid open, allowing the two Time Lords access. A green-skinned figure was seated behind a desk, glancing up as the Doctor held the card up. He took it, holding it with one hand as the other two typed on a computer before him. After a pause, he nodded, handing the card back. He turned to press some more keys and a whisking sound was heard from a room behind him. A billow of air blew through the large tube next to the desk and in seconds, a large box was landing at the bottom. The Doctor lifted it up, taking it to a table and with the tap of a few keys on the metallic surface, it snapped open.

The Rani just stared as the Doctor began going through the envelopes inside the box. "You actually have mail delivered here?"

"Well, not like the TARDIS can always pick it up," the Doctor noted. "I had this set up a while ago, drop by when I can. Like I said, Cornerstone is a focal point in both space and time so I'm generally up to date on things." He paused at one envelope, frowning. "Drat, forgot Truman's birthday party. Ah, well, made it up by going to his funeral."

The Rani looked over the large amount of envelopes inside. "You haven't checked in a while, I assume."

"Oh, I try to be regular but it piles up," the Doctor shrugged. "I'm a popular fellow, you know." He didn't see her stare as he flipped through the mail quickly. "Hmmm…bill….bill….membership for the Thule Society, have to renew that…Ouch, Oceanic Air, have to remember to avoid that…bill…Hold on." He paused as he lifted up a nice white envelope. "What is this?" He opened it to remember a white glossed card and stared at the lettering. "Cordially invited…" His eyes widened in surprise.

"What is it?" the Rani asked with curiosity.

"Sarah Jane getting married," the Doctor whispered with wonder. "I never expected…"

"Who?" the Rani took the card to look at it, seeing the invitation to the wedding of Sarah Jane Smith and Peter Dalton.

"Sarah Jane Smith," the Doctor explained. "A very old and very dear friend." He shook his head. "I didn't even know she was dating."

"I believe your considerations weren't in mind when she embarked on this," the Rani dryly noted. "So…are you attending?"

The Doctor paused, furrowing his brow. "Hmmm." He quickly pulled the rest of the envelopes out, slipping them all into the pocket of his overcoat. The Rani didn't even bother asking how he could fit them all in. She had long suspected the Doctor had figured out how to use the TARDIS' mass-shifting technology to fit items into his clothes. She herself was planning to do the same as soon as she was more settled in. She followed the Doctor as he exited, hurrying back to the TARDIS. "If we are going, I'll need to change," she said as they entered the craft. "It may have been quite a while but I do know it's important to look good at these things."

"One moment," the Doctor remarked as he began to throw some switches to set the TARDIS off. He examined a screen as he made some adjustments. "I need to check up on him first."

The Rani blinked. "What?" She stepped forward. "You want to check up on the man your…friend is marrying? That doesn't strike you as just slightly obsessive?"

"I want to make sure he's the right sort," the Doctor defended as the TARDIS flew on. "You don't know Sarah. She deserves the best."

"Like you?"

The Doctor smirked. "Well, I wouldn't brag…"

"Yet you somehow manage the effect quite startling on a regular basis."

The Doctor shrugged as the TARDIS slowed. "Look, just a little check-up first, make sure it's all right, then we'll see the girl off right." He walked to the door, the Rani sighing as she followed, realizing that putting up with the man's foolishness was going to be a price to be paid for her travels.

They exited onto a small street the Rani instantly recognized as London. The city was just so distinctive, no matter what time period or spot in it, you instantly knew where you were. The Doctor was walking across the street toward a nondescript flat that mixed in perfectly with the neighborhood. He knocked on the door, pausing for a moment. He knocked again but still no answer. He stood up on his toes to peek into the window. "Hmmm…" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver, holding it above the door handle and with a buzz, unlocked it.

"And now we add breaking and entering to your objectives of the day," the Rani drawled as the Doctor opened the door. "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind too much. It certainly decreases the danger of you launching into one of your irritating lectures."

"This place doesn't look like it's been lived in recently," the Doctor said. The Rani glanced about and instantly saw the layers of dust and even a few cobwebs in corners. The Doctor's feet kicked at the pile of mail beside the door, under the slot built into it. He knelt to examine them as the Rani walked about, studying for anything out of the ordinary.

"Some of these are a few weeks old," the Doctor called out as he examined the bills and letters in his hands.

"Vacation?" the Rani asked. "Or perhaps he moved?"

"Perhaps," the Doctor mused. "But something just seems so…off about this." He paused, expecting her to make a comment. Hearing no response, he walked over to see her kneeling by the main stairway. "What is it?"

The Rani removed what looked like a compact from her coat. Twisting it, she let a beam of light play over the stairs, illuminating dark stains. The other side of the "compact" showed a readout of data she studied. "Human blood, looks to be about three weeks old." She swept the light over the stairs. "Checking for residue…Let's see…" She adjusted a readout and the beam shifted, sending light to the stairs. It began to form a shape based on her readings. It was a human male lying on his back on the stairs, limbs askew. The details could not be made out but the angle of the neck made it clear his fall was hardly a small affair.

"I'm guessing it'll be difficult to get the deposit on the place back after that," the Rani remarked as she closed her compact. The Doctor had his sonic screwdriver out, scanning it around the room. "So our mysterious occupant died," the Rani went on. "And yet the place appears to haven't been visited by the police. Curiouser and curiouser."

The Doctor frowned as his screwdriver let out a series of beeps. "Something in the air here….Something is not right…" He checked the readouts and his eyes widened. "No…" he whispered. "No, it can't be…"

"What?" The Rani asked. "What is it?"

The Doctor looked at the stairs as if still seeing the image. His head whipped around to the pile of mail, to the dust covering the area and then the photographs on the nearby mantle. He moved to one, picking it up seeing a white-haired man smiling at the camera. He reached into his pocket to pull out the invitation and held it to the photo, seeing the dual images on each. "_Trickster,_" he gasped out.

In a blur, the Doctor dropped the photo and raced to the door. The Rani followed him as he ran across the street, avoiding an oncoming car and made a mental note that in the future, she was going to have to avoid wearing heels. The Doctor was tearing open the TARDIS door and entering, bounding up the stairs to throw switches. The Rani barely entered before the door closed and the TARDIS was underway. "What the devil has gotten into you?" she demanded.

"The Trickster," the Doctor rasped as he furiously threw switches to set the TARDIS off. "That signature, I'd know it anywhere."

"Trickster…" It was the Rani's turn to widen her eyes. "Wait…_the _Trickster?"

The Doctor nodded as he pulled a knob. "He's been after Sarah Jane before, he must be using Peter to get close to her and thus to me." He tapped a key. "It's his ultimate goal, to remove me from history and feast upon the chaos."

The Rani took that in. She knew of the Trickster of course. A being said to exist beyond time and space, who loved nothing more than chaos to subside upon. It only made sense that such a creature would target the Doctor and the Rani knew the damage that would take. Whatever she felt of the man, she recognized how vital a part in history the Doctor played. To remove him would cause massive destruction, death, perhaps even the end of reality as everyone knew it. A scale such as that was not something the Rani wanted to touch.

"So he's using this girl to get to you?"

"Not just that," the Doctor noted. "Sarah Jane has been doing a lot on her own to protect this planet. Get her away from all that and things can go very badly." He pulled a lever, studying a scanner. The TARDIS motor began to grind as it prepared for landing…only for it to start up again. "Oh, no, no, no, no!" the Doctor yelled as he turned a crank.

The Rani moved to the other side of the console, studying her own screen. "We're having trouble materializing," she noted. "It's hitting us hard, some sort of interference."

"Trickster," the Doctor snarled as he adjusted his controls. "Dammit!" He punched the console hard, letting it shake. "Calm down," the Rani snapped as she adjusted some controls. "You just need to alter the materialization frequency. Honestly, how you've lived so long letting your emotions get in the way…"

"Not in the mood," the Doctor snapped at her as he nonetheless adjusted the knobs. The Rani was taken aback at the excitement in his voice. Whoever this Sarah Jane was, she evidentially meant more to the Doctor than the average human.

The Doctor let out a yell of triumph as the TARDIS went on its journey again. He threw a pair of switches to adjust it, checking the screen. "Can't get to her early….we'll have to be quick." He pulled back the knobs to stop the rotor and was moving to the door before it even ground down. Taking a deep breath, the Rani followed as the Doctor ran out the door and into what looked to be the foyer of some sort of inn, a desk next to the TARDIS with nice decorations. The Doctor was on the move, racing up a flight of stairs, the Rani cursing her heels as she followed him. He bounced down two halls before slamming through a pair of doors and yelling out at the top of his lungs _"Stop this wedding now!"_

Knowing the Doctor's luck, the Rani was worried they were interrupting someone's birthday party. However, it appeared they were in the right place as the hall was filled with guests in nice suits and dresses on chairs covered with white sheets. At a red-carpeted altar stood a priest before two people gazing at the Doctor. The Rani recognized the man from the photo with an attractive woman in her fifties wearing a rather fetching white dress. "What?" she gaped at the Doctor.

"Master!" came an electronic voice as a figure moved out from beneath a tablecloth. It looked for all the world like a mechanical dog, its antenna waving back and forth.

The Doctor ignored it as he gazed at the altar, his face set and voice deadly serious. "Stop this wedding, right now."

Before anyone could speak, a wind whipped up through the hallway. "Warning, Mistress!" the mechanical dog called out. "Alien activity detected!"

"Sarah, get away from him!" the Doctor yelled, reaching for her only to be blown back by the wind.

She seemed confused but wanting to follow his word, only for Peter to grip her arms. "It's all right, Sarah," he said softly, not worried at all. "It's the angel."

A form materialized out of the air, a figure without face or eyes clad totally in a white robe and hood, its mouth twisted in an evil smile. "The Trickster!" a teenage girl from the front row cried out.

"Mum!" her companion, a teenage boy yelled to Sarah.

"Trickster, let her go!" the Doctor yelled.

_"Too late, Time Lord," _the creature snarled, pointing at him. He moved to Sarah, who was being held by Peter. _"I take her as mine forever." _He touched her and Peter, the two vanishing into smoke as Sarah screamed for the Doctor's name.

_"Saaaarah!" _The Doctor raced to the altar too late. The wind continued, now with beams of light that swept over the wedding guests. "Oh, no," the Rani muttered, recognizing a time wave when she saw it. In a flash, the guests vanished, except for the three teens in the front row. "Mum!" the girl cried out in horror. "Dad!"

"Everyone, hold on!" the Doctor yelled, gripping the altar. The Rani moved to join him, yanking a small tube from her pocket. She twisted it as she held it up, emitting a wave of light that collided with the one sweeping the hall. It formed a makeshift bubble over the group, fighting back as the wind howled more. The Doctor had to smile at her. "Sonic lipstick. Love the classics."

The Rani just grunted as a blast of white light filled the hallway, forcing her to close her eyes. When she opened them, she saw the three humans lying on the ground as she and the Doctor knelt by the altar. The Rani turned off her device as she sighed. "Not bad," the Doctor noted as they rose. "What was that?"

"Trick I picked up a century back," the Rani matter-of-factly stated as she replaced the tube. "Capturing a millisecond of time, compressed in one field, just the thing to combat a time wave, albeit for a short distance."

"It did the job," the Doctor noted as he knelt by the young man in a nice suit. "You all right, lad?"

The boy's eyes slowly opened, blinking up. "Doctor?" he asked. "You…it's you, isn't it?"

"And you're Luke." The Doctor smiled. "Good to finally meet you in person."

Luke sat up, his eyes wide. "No…Mum, the Trickster…"

"It'll all right," the Doctor was quick to say. "Luke, Luke, Luke, it's ok. I'll find Sarah, I'll bring her back, everything's okay but I need you to be strong for me. Just as you were before."

"You shouldn't be so sure," the Rani stated as she studied the area. "If I'm right, which I invariably am, then she's far off from where we are. Not to mention that getting her back will be nigh impossible given his power."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her. "You never were one for the greeting card company business, were you?" He noticed how the other teens were recovering. The girl was of Indian descent, clad in a pink dress while the other male was a black-skinned teen in a suit. "Who…who are you?" the girl asked.

"Hello, Clyde!" the Doctor said in a boisterous tone, shaking the startled boy's hand. "And that will be Rani, nice to meet you."

"Excuse me?" the Rani's eyes bugged outward at the mention of the girl's name. The Doctor ignored her as he began looking about the room, searching for something.

"How'd you know our names?" Clyde asked.

"Wait…" the girl named Rani said. "It's…it's you, isn't it? The Doctor!"

"Are you as good as Sarah Jane says?" Luke asked.

The Doctor was kneeling on the floor, his ear to the ground. "Well, you know journalists, always exaggerating." He got to his feet. "But yeah, I'm pretty amazing on a good day."

Normally, such a comment would elicit an eye roll from the Rani but this time she was too thrown by the young woman's name. "I beg your pardon but that name…"

"Master!" The electronic dog moved out from under the table to head toward the Doctor. "Query: Where is Mistress Sarah Jane?"

"K-9!" the Doctor beamed broadly, kneeling down to rub the dog's face. "Did you miss me? Hmmm? Who's a good boy? Who's a goooood boy?"

The Rani just stared in disbelief, wondering (not for the first time) if so many regenerations in a short span had affected the man's mind. The three teens seemed just as jarred as the Rani turned to gaze out the window. "Doctor," she called out. "I hate to distract you from your…pet but we have a bit of a situation."

The three humans turned to stare out the window, realizing that the brightness wasn't sunlight. Rather, the entire outside was nothing but pure white oblivion, no sign of any other objects at all. "Wha…what happened to the world?" the girl called Rani asked.

"Dimensional shift," the Doctor remarked as he walked up behind them.

"Time has moved on for us," the Rani added. "But not for the rest of the world."

Clyde looked at her. "Who are you?'

"Ah, this is the Rani," the Doctor introduced her.

"Rani?" Clyde frowned. "She's Rani." He motioned the girl at his side.

The Rani looked at the teen, who was as baffled as she was. Without a word, she grabbed the girl's arm, lifting it up as she pulled out her compact, opening it and pressing it against the Rani's hand. "Hey, what are…" the girl started but the Rani played the scanner across her eyes, the girl blinking. The Rani held the compact's screen up, studying it. "What was-" The Rani cut her off, holding up a finger as she gazed at the readout. She finished the scan and studied the results, her face tight. She let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank Rassilon, you're not me."

"Excuse me?" Rani blinked in confusion.

The Rani replaced her compact. "Just had to make sure one of my future regenerations didn't go horribly wrong and stick me like this. I should have known better, I have much better taste in appearances."

"Hey!"

"Wait…you're…a Time Lord?" Luke frowned at the Doctor. "But I thought you were the only one left."

"So did I," he shrugged. "Two Ranis, this could get confusing."

"Just refer to her as Little R," the Rani said. "Name to suit the no-doubt lesser intellect."

"_Hey!"_

"I knew something was wrong," Clyde was saying. "I knew it all along." He turned to where the Doctor was gazing out another window. "And how's the Trickster fit into this?"

"I'll explain later," the Doctor remarked.

The three teens began talking at once, each blurting out questions. The Rani closed her eyes, reminding herself that the level of justifiable homicide had not yet been reached. The three were all still talking as the Doctor pulled his hand out of his pocket and began whipping a noisemaker around, the crackling noise interrupting the trio."Here's the answer to all your questions," he calmly began. "Yes, that was the Trickster. Yes, we're trapped. Yes, I'm the only one who can get us out of the trap. Yes, I'm gonna bring Sarah Jane and your mum and dad and all the others back safe, but I can't do any of it without you."

"You….need us?" Clyde asked in surprise.

"My sentiments exactly," the Rani inserted.

"Just like Sarah Jane needs you," the Doctor said.

"But my mum and dad…" Rani started.

"Currently no longer existing," the Rani told her as if it was no importance. "Assuming we can defeat the Trickster, a large assumption at that, they'll come back into our reality. Otherwise, they'll be lost in the cosmic ether."

Rani's face looked like it was about to erupt into tears as the Doctor moved to take the Rani's arm, talking over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, give us a moment." Leading the Rani a few steps away, he hissed into her ear. "I know personal interactions have never been your strong suit but for heaven's sake, try to let your emotions actually take hold of your mouth now and then."

"The key difference between us, Doctor, is that I allow my train of thought to actually take time at the station rather than run roughshod."

"These children are already frightened, Rani. We can't be adding to that."

She arched an eyebrow. "They strike me as the type to already grow rather fast, Doctor. Innocence is always the first casualty of maturity."

"That's always been the difference between us," the Doctor dryly remarked. "I don't automatically count people as casualties." He turned and made a smile at the trio. "Don't worry, we'll fix this."

"Trust him, Rani," Luke said. "I saw him save the world."

"And you helped me, Lukeyboy!" the Doctor noted as he marched down the aisle toward the doors. "Right, come on! We can use the TARDIS!" He stopped, turning to them with a frown. "I assume everyone knows what the TARDIS is. Unless you really were not paying attention." As the trio made small nods, the Doctor nodded and raced through the doors. "Allons-y!"

The five ran down a flight of stairs and into the main foyer of the boarding house, stopping at the area before the desk. "Wait…it was right there!" the Doctor yelled, waving at the space before them.

A grinding filled the air as they all backed up. The TARDIS slowly came into view before vanishing, flickering in and out like a bad TV signal. "That's the TARDIS?" Clyde moaned in disappointment. "Oh, it's just a wooden box!"

"I keep telling you, fix the damn chameleon circuit," the Rani muttered.

"Temporal schism is preventing TARDIS materialization," K-9 remarked.

"Come on…come on…" the Doctor muttered as the blue box flickered in and out of existence. "You can do it. Come on, more power!"

"Tell me you're not giving a pep talk to a TARDIS," the Rani said with disbelief.

The Doctor ignored her as the TARDIS flickered and, with a final groan, vanished completely. "Right, no TARDIS," he said in a surprisingly calm voice. He turned to the others, smiling. "Well, we'll just have to make this work the hard way then."

"You mean, we're trapped?" Rani gaped.

"Of course not!" the Doctor said. "I've got K-9!"

"Affirmative."

"And I've got all of you. And the Rani….Rani?" He looked over their shoulders to where the woman was heading toward the front door. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, if we're relying on the infants, I thought I'd just throw myself out into oblivion, save myself some time and stress."

The Doctor grinned at the uncertain looks on the three teenagers' faces. "Can't beat confidence like that, can you?"

* * *

**Had to break this into two parts due to its size, hopefully not long before I get the next part up. All comments welcomed. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Survivor's Hearts**

**By Michael Weyer**

* * *

"Okay," Rani (Little R) was saying, pacing about. "We're stuck in here, the rest of the world moving on. So why would the Trickster have us here?"

"Oh, come on, Little R!" the Doctor said, moving from his place lying on the floor. "You're a smart girl, you figure it out!"

"We're Sarah Jane's friends," Rani shrugged. "Her…best friends." Her eyes widened in understanding. "Of course, he can use us as hostages!"

"Tried but true concept," the Rani stated. "Amazing how foolish bonds can be used so well."

Clyde was still baffled. "We've fought the Trickster before but we never actually found out who he is."

"He's one of the Pantheon of Discord," the Rani answered in the cool tones of an instructor. "He's from beyond our universe, attempting to break into our realm."

"He exists to wreck havoc," the Doctor said. He smiled. "But hey, we can fight him, the six of us, we can win!" A beeping sound came from his jacket and he whipped out his sonic screwdriver. "Ah, that's it! Time Trace, just a hint of Sarah Jane." He walked about holding up his screwdriver. "Oh, she's close."

He waved it about, holding it up as he stood on a chair. Rani suddenly shivered. "Whoa. I feel like someone just walked over my grave."

"I'm sure there are some willing to dance on it," the Rani muttered. The Doctor ignored her, moving to wave the screwdriver at Little R as its beeping grew louder. "Oh, here we are, she's right here. Sarah!"

"She doesn't like being called Sarah," Rani said.

The Doctor frowned. "She does by me." He waved the screwdriver again as the beeping grew. "Sarah!"

_"Doctor!" _a familiar voice called out. The Doctor threw open the doors at the white space beyond. "K-9!"

"Scanning, Master," the robotic dog said as it moved forward, its electronic "ears" wagging. "Temporal schism divided in two, Master.."

"Of course," the Rani said, checking her watch. "We're trapped in 23:23:23 and she's trapped in another second."

"Hold up," Clyde said. "You said you'd explain later. Well, it's later."

"We're in one moment of time, she's in another, simple enough or do we need a chalkboard? Oh, right, this era the human young only get their information from those bulky computer pads."

"Let's not begin this," the Doctor cut her off. Hearing a noise, he looked up the stairs. "Luke, K-9, stay with the TARDIS, the rest of you, with me!" He bounded up the stairs, two at a time as the others quickly followed. The Rani was frowning as they headed back to the wedding chapel. "Without the TARDIS, do you have any ideas on how we can get out of here?"

"And rescue Sarah Jane," Clyde put in.

The Rani literally waved it off. "More important things first."

"Sarah Jane is what's important!" Little R snapped but the Rani tuned out the ravings of the child. "This is mad," Rani sighed. "The Trickster is all-powerful, he causes chaos, he wants to wipe out Earth…yet he's trying to get Sarah Jane married? Why?"

"The ape raises a good point," the Rani admitted. "It's not like this being to help others out."

"He's tried stuff like this before," Clyde stated. "He tried altering history once so Sarah Jane died as a teenager and so wasn't around just as a big asteroid was about to hit Earth."

The Doctor nodded as he took that in. "So he's got some agenda, something he needs this man for…"

"_Doctor!"_

The group turned to see the Trickster standing at the end of the aisle, now clad in a black robe. "Ah, there we are," the Doctor said in as nonchalant a tone as possible. "You look better in black. Or is white the new black?'

The Trickster simply looked him over, that ghastly mouth smiling. _"At last, Doctor. I can feel this moment reverberating through the ages. The Pantheon of Discord…and the Last of the Time Lords."_

"Second to last if you wish to be technical," the Rani chimed in. The Trickster looked at her but then dismissed her with a simple glance to look at the Doctor who was calmly walking forward. "I've known the legends of the Pantheon since I was a little boy. Fought your shadows and your changelings but never thought I'd meet you."

_"And I've heard stories of the Doctor. A man of ice and fire. How he walked amongst gods, once held the Key to Time in his hands. Now, he is surrounded by children!"_

"They're my friends. Which reminds me, you look lonely for a Pantheon."

_"I embody them all. What are you, a man who has lost everything to talk to me of loneliness? The Gate is waiting for you."_

The Doctor frowned. "Gate? What Gate? What do you mean?"

_"You shall see." _The Trickster's grin widened.

"Why her?" The Doctor pressed. "Why Sarah Jane? You want me, fine, here I am."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, can we not do the martyr act this time?" the Rani groaned. "Honestly, if the man wanted you, he'd take you."

_"She is right," _The Trickster confirmed. "_Sarah Jane Smith is my prize. Even you, Doctor, know how special she is."_With a final cackle, the Trickster vanished into vapor, leaving a confused group behind.

"Yes, that's it!" The Doctor's change of moods never ceased to jar the Rani, going from quiet to loud joy in a blink. "Of course! Sarah Jane is all about the Earth, helping it, saving it, seeking the truth. But now, he's got the ring, the ring emits a signal to make her go along with him. She says yes, ring goes on, it becomes all about her new life."

"And forget her old one…" Clyde reasoned.

"Without Sarah and you lot to save the world…."

"No world."

"But she won't say yes," Luke scoffed.

"Oh, she will," the Doctor noted. "Because we're here." He was interrupted by a familiar groaning sound and turned to see a blue shape slowly appearing. "TARDIS! Beautiful, yes! It's homing in on me!"

The Rani raised an eyebrow. "You actually have it filled with Arntron energy? Impressive for such a relic."

"Here, don't be mocking her!" The Doctor laughed. Luke was rushing in as the Doctor pulled him into a semi-embrace with the other children. "Look! Pure arntron energy! TARDIS power! Anti-Trickster power! That's how we'll fight him!" He raced to the door, throwing it open. The Rani was following when the TARDIS shook, the Doctor reaching for her. "Come on!"

The Rani reached for his hand but a shock of energy shoved her back. Clyde moved to take the Doctor's hand, trying to hold onto him but blasts of blue energy rolled over him as he cried out. A last blast separated them, the door slamming shut as Clyde fell back on the ground. Luke and Rani helped him up as the Rani stared at the TARDIS slowly vanishing in a flash. "Oh, bugger," she hissed.

"Great," Rani sighed. "It's just us then."

"Please don't lump me in with you," the Rani snapped as she strode on her heel to the doorway.

"Hey, we're all in this together!" Clyde called out as they followed her.

"Familiarity breeds contempt," the Rani snapped. "Not to mention germs." They hurried down the stairs as the Rani looked at her watch, making some computations. "Damn, damn, damn," she muttered. "If she puts that ring on and succeeds, this place is going to wink out of flux forever. And I really don't relish spending the rest of my lives with you lot."

"Well, not like you're pleasant company either," Luke sniffed. "Come on, you never make mistakes?"

"I don't make mistakes." She paused and looked up. "Wait, there was that one time…no, never mind, my mistake."

"So what now?" Clyde demanded, throwing out his hands. As he did, sparks of blue came off them, throwing everyone. The Rani undid her hand mirror once more to take his hand, letting the scan run over Clyde's hands. "Amazing….It looks as if the Arntron energy has somehow bonded to your body. Residual effect which doesn't make sense in a human…" Her brow furrowed. "Unless you've already been exposed to time travel."

"We have at that," Little R confirmed. "So, Clyde is carrying this Arntron stuff?"

The Rani nodded. "Yes he is." Her brow raised. "And when Arntron energy meets a force from outside time and space, the effects can be most…damaging."

"You mean it can hurt him?" Rani gasped.

"Correct."

"We can fight him!"

"No," Clyde intoned. "I can fight him." He stalked toward the doorway, the two Ranis following him. He threw open the door to gaze into the white void. "Trickster!" he called out.

With a shimmer, the black-cloaked figure appeared. _"What is it you wish of me?"_

"I wish to serve you," Clyde called out. "I wish to join the Pantheon!"

Little R stared at the Rani in disbelief. "He can't think this will work."

"In my experience, self-delusion is one of the few truly never-ending resources in the universe."

Clyde stepped forward as the door shut closed behind him. Rani pounded on them to no avail. "What is happening out there?"

The Rani looked out a window to see Clyde attacking the Trickster, blue energy flowing around the hooded figure. The building shook and the Rani glanced at her watch to see it shimmer and shake before it finally clicked.

23:24:24.

"Stay with the boy," the Rani snapped before racing up the stairs and back to the ballroom. She felt the shivering of energy she recognized as time moving forward, just enough to let the two time periods click together. She saw Sarah Jane again with Peter, him holding her hands. "You'd best back away from her now."

Peter frowned. "Who are you?"

"The Rani." At Sarah Jane's opening mouth, she waved a finger. "No, I am not a future version of that brat below. What I am is someone who wants to get out of here quickly and you're the only way to fix that."

A familiar groaning went out as the TARDIS materialized, once again rougher than usual. The door burst open to show the Doctor clinging to it. "Sarah Jane!"

"Doctor," she whispered in joy.

The Doctor waved over to the Rani. "Get in here!" She didn't have to be told twice as she raced to jump back into the craft. The Doctor looked to Sarah Jane. "TARDIS can't stabilize, Clyde's keeping the Trickster busy and oh my, those children are just brilliant!"

"What do I do?" Sarah Jane asked. "I say no, we're trapped here forever. I say yes, I condemn the world to the Trickster. There's no way out."

"This is you, Sarah," the Doctor said solemnly. "Your greatest challenge. You fought the Trickster, you know how he operates, how to beat him."

A long silence went up as understanding flooded through both Sarah Jane and the Rani. Sarah Jane slowly looked to Pete, her face grave. "No. Oh, please, no."

The Doctor looked to Peter, his own face drawn. "Peter…I know you're a good man. I am so sorry."

"Sorry?" Peter frowned. "I don't understand."

"The Trickster can only appear….to people about to die," Sarah Jane choked out.

Peter blinked, taking that in and shook his head. "No…no, I…I'm not dead…"

"We saw your home," the Rani called out. "No one has been there for weeks. Can you remember when you were last there? Can you?" Peter's face went pale as he absorbed her words. "We saw where you died, where you fell, no one could survive a broken neck like that." For once the Doctor wasn't questioning her lack of tact as it was needed here. "You're living half a life."

Sarah Jane moved closer to a stunned Peter. "You're what's keeping the Trickster here. If you sever the agreement…he'll be gone." Her eyes were filled with tears. "And so will you."

A flashing light filled the room as Clyde and the Trickster appeared, locked in a struggle. Screaming, Clyde fell back as the Trickster collapsed on the altar steps. "Clyde!" Sarah Jane raced to his side.

The Rani was looking at the console as sparks came off it. "Doctor! We can't stay!"

"One more moment!"

"We don't have that!" The Rani threw a switch as the TARDIS motor began moving. Cursing, the Doctor pulled himself back in, shutting the door as the TARDIS dematerialized. He raced to it, adjusting the sensors and staring at a screen. "We're still locked in this phase of time," the Rani stated. "With the Trickster still around, we can't move."

"He won't be around much longer," the Doctor intoned.

The Rani frowned. "You really think this Peter will give up his life? That he can be that strong?"

"Sarah Jane chose him," the Doctor stated. "He'll have that strength. She'll give it to him."

"You still have faith, Doctor?"

"Faith can move mountains, Rani," he answered as he looked at the sensors. "I've used it to move planets. Come on…come on…" He grit his teeth together. "You can do it, Peter…you can…"

The static filling the screens cleared to show the normal readings for the time and space continuum. "Ahhaha, ha ha hah!" The Doctor laughed, jumping up and down and pointing at the screen. "I knew it! I knew that boy would do it!" He laughed again as he adjusted the controls. "Excellent!"

The Rani studied the sensors herself. "Amazing. He actually did it. He broke the Trickster's hold."

"I told you it'd work," the Doctor smiled as he added in new coordinates. "The Trickster is gone back to whatever dimension he's holding up in."

"And so the effects should be gone as well," the Rani stated. "The wedding guests returned with no memory of time ever having passed."

"And of course, poor Peter gone to his reward." The Doctor sighed as he pressed a final button. "Let's see….give us a few hours for things to settle…" The motor groaned before coming to a stop. The Doctor moved to open the door and leaned on it. The Rani came up behind him to see they were in what appeared to be an attic of some kind. The children were there, still in their wedding clothes, while Sarah Jane had changed to a simpler pair of pants and dark blouse, her eyes showing long crying but a smile as she saw the TARDIS appear.

"Just thought I'd go the quick way?" The Doctor stated with a smile.

"Wow, that's the TARDIS?" Rani said. "Can we look inside?"

"In the TARDIS?" The Doctor's face and voice were hard. "My TARDIS?" He let them hang for a moment before shrugging. "Course you can."

He moved aside as the trio entered, Sarah Jane behind them. The young ones stared in awe at the interior; it was one thing to hear stories of the ship, another to see it in person. The Rani followed behind, her eyes tight on them all. "Do not touch anything," she snapped in a tone that left no argument.

"Right, right," Clyde said, holding up his hands and backing up from the console. "So…you and the Doctor, what is it? Some sort of love/hate thing?"

"No, it's primarily hate."

Sarah Jane looked to the Doctor, who leaned on the railing at the far end of the room. "So…the Rani."

"I told you about her, right?" the Doctor asked.

"Once or twice. Not in the most glowing terms." She lowered her voice. "Doctor, from what you said, she's the Time Lord version of Dr. Mengele."

The Doctor gazed at her and Sarah Jane felt the weight of his centuries in his eyes. "She's the only other one, Sarah," he whispered. "It's just her and me. And…And I'm so tired of being alone."

She smiled softly and rubbed his arm. "I know. I know just how you feel."

"Hey, can we go on a trip?" Clyde called out.

"Oh, yes!" Rani laughed. "Come on, back to the dinosaurs? Ooooooh, maybe see the London Olympics early?"

"Absolutely not!" Sarah Jane stood up, her old fire back in her voice. "You are still grounded by the Joudoon, remember? And that includes time travel."

"Mum, come on, a simple trip…"

"Luke, there is nothing 'simple' about a trip in the TARDIS, trust me on that."

"And there is no way I am putting up with you infants another moment," the Rani snapped. She marched toward them, the children backing up. "Out, out, out!"

As they backed away, Sarah Jane looked back to the Doctor. "You came all this way? For me?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "You're important. Not just to me. Trickster wanted to end your story but it goes on for a while." He smiled. "You have such events ahead of you, Sarah."

She knew better than to ask. Instead, she swallowed. "Will I…see you again?"

The Doctor was quiet for a moment. "I don't know." He forced a smile. "I hope so." The smile faded. "Don't forget me, Sarah Jane."

"Never," she choked out before turning to leave the TARDIS. The Rani was by the door as Sarah Jane paused, looking over her shoulder at the Doctor, then to the other Time Lord. "He needs a voice sometimes," she stated. "Someone to remind him what not to do."

The Rani sniffed. "And I'm to provide that? You obviously don't know me very well."

"No," Sarah Jane stated. "But I know that when he takes someone on….he sees something in them. Don't let him down." Her eyes narrowed. "You'll make a lot of people very cross if you do."

The Rani smirked. "Are you threatening me, human?"

Sarah Jane just stared back. "You measure a man by his friends and enemies." She nodded back at the Doctor. "His friends can be your worst enemies." She turned to walk out of the TARDIS as the door shut behind her.

The Rani moved back to the control console as the Doctor set the TARDIS off again. She gazed at him carefully. "She really does mean a lot to you."

"She does," the Doctor intoned. "She truly does."

"She'll die, Doctor. Sooner rather than later. You know that."

"I know," he agreed. "They all do. I know that. But it's not about her time. Or mine." He looked to her. "Nothing is forever, Rani. Not even us. It's what you do with the time that is given to you that matters."

She gazed back at him. "You did not just quote Tolkien."

"Oh, please, who do you think he ripped all his dialogue from?" the Doctor said as he added a location to the monitors. The Rani just looked at him, curious once more as to how this man could just leave himself open like this to pain he had to know was coming. _Friendship. Talking about an impossible calculation._

* * *

**The travels will continue soon, all comments welcomed. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Survivor's Hearts**

**by Michael Weyer**

** It has been a while since I updated this but been busy. If you don't know, have been writing "Secrets of Serenity," an off-shoot of this that I recommend. Some might find it odd to bounce back to this then but when you're writing about a pair of time travelers, it does make an odd bit of sense. This chapter is relatively short but more to come, I promise.**

* * *

That familiar moan and groan echoed in the hallway, no one around to hear it. Neither were they around to see the blue box materialize out of nothing, the flashing light slowing down as it formed. After a moment, the doors opened to allow the Doctor to exit, adjusting his coat around him. The Rani was behind him, clad in a rather fetching tan suit that fit her demeanor well. Glancing around, she sighed deeply. "The next time I offer to steer, let me do it."

"The last time you tried, we ended up next to a supernova," the Doctor pointed out as he locked the TARDIS. "She doesn't seem to like you very much."

The Rani decided she was too tired to begin another argument over the TARDIS' sentience as the two Time Lords made their way down the hallways. It appeared to be a mansion of some sort, the decor old-styled yet a feel much like more advanced Earth. "Any idea when and where we are?" she asked as they entered a foyer area by some stairs.

"Sussex, April 19th, 1991."

The Rani blinked in amazement. "How do you know that?"

The Doctor pointed to a sign next to a large doorway that had the date and location underneath a title. _"Welcome to 19th Annual Sussex Archeological Exhibition."_

The Doctor whistled as he made his way toward the ballroom doorway. A man in a suit came up toward them, frowning. "Do you have an invitation?"

The Doctor was already showing off his pad of psychic paper, the man nodding as the two entered. The ballroom was large, sunlight pouring through the wide glass doors and windows to add to the upscale motif. Various items decorated the room, artwork, artifacts and more from a dozen different places. People in suits and women in nice dresses mingled, chatting, looking at the exhibits and sipping champagne. The Doctor nonchalantly took a small dish off a passing tray to chew on its contents as he looked around. "Ah, always am a sucker for these things."

The Rani grabbed a glass of champagne and sipped at it as she peered around. "A curious place for a random stop."

"Now, now, you should know by now, nothing is ever random with us," the Doctor pointed out. "No, there's a reason to be here, we just have to find..." His voice trailed off as a few people parted and allowed him to see a figure by a table. The Rani followed his gaze, frowning at first before her eyes narrowed. "Wait a moment...is that..."

"Yes," the Doctor softly replied. "It is." He took a deep breath before calmly walking forward, his eyes never leaving the woman before him. She was small but quite bright, a lush of curly hair whose color bordered on orange. She wore a lovely dress, red and white that showed herself off well. She smiled at the man who came to her. "Hello," she said, her voice as bright as her smile. "Melanie Bush."

"I know," the Doctor softly said. "Hello, Mel. It's...good to see you again."

"Again?" Mel was confused. "Have we met before?"

"It was a while ago," the Doctor said. "Quite a few years for me...and a few faces."

Mel blinked before realization sunk in and her jaw dropped. "Doctor." She stiffened, her mouth setting. "I didn't think I'd see you again."

"Neither did I," the Doctor stated. "It...well, I know our last meeting wasn't exactly pleasant..."

"There's an understatement," Mel snapped. "I thought I made it clear I never wanted to see you again. Why are you here?"

He shrugged. "Not sure, really. The TARDIS made the stop, sometimes I'm just along for the ride."

She sniffed. "Things never change."

"You'd be surprised," the Rani intoned as she came up to him. She looked Mel over and shook her head. "She still has that horrid hair. I despised it enough the first time, let alone now."

"Who-" Mel began.

"Ah, yes, Mel, you remember the Rani, don't you?" the Doctor said, trying to make it sound nonchalant.

The woman's jaw dropped wide open as she stared in shock from one Time Lord to the other. "This...she...you and her..."

"The human mind at work, fascinating to watch," the Rani dryly stated.

Mel's glare was like ice as she fixed on the Doctor. "All this time...you come back...and with this...this..."

"A thesaurus is such an underrated tool," the Rani inserted.

"Shut up!" Mel snapped at her. "You drugged me, impersonated me, tried to kill me..."

"Halcyon days."

"Rani," the Doctor warned.

"And now, you decide she's someone you want to be with?" Mel sniffed. "Why should I be surprised. After what you did..."

"I didn't have a choice."

"Just keep using that excuse." Mel shook her head angrily. "You're not the Doctor I knew. Not anymore."

She turned to go, the Doctor reaching for her but she pulled back to slap him across the face. A few people glanced over in confusion as Mel marched away, heading to a nearby balcony. "Charming girl," the Rani said. "I cannot imagine what made you part ways."

The Doctor sighed deeply as he began to walk off. The Rani watched him go, pursing her lips for a moment before moving off to another direction.

* * *

The Doctor stood by a statue of an old warrior of some sort but didn't really care about that. He knew a reunion with Mel would be rough but this was harder than he thought. He couldn't blame her, really. He'd never been happy with that entire "Time's Champion" title of his. He'd always suspected somehow the Guardian knew the Time War was coming and was preparing the Doctor for the harshness he'd need to survive it. But that incarnation of his, the manipulations and hidden agendas, it never really suited him. To that end, he could understand her anger. But that didn't make it any easier.

"Hello, sweetie."

At that voice, playful and lush with a gorgeous accent, the Doctor's eyes rolled skyward. "And the hits just keep on coming," he muttered before turning around.

The smile was as bright as he could remember, lighting up a gorgeous face that seemed timeless in so many ways. She wore a lovely black gown that ended at her knees, sleek but also professional and the Doctor could tell some hidden tools inside it. A row of pearls hung around her neck and her curly brown hair billowed nicely around her. Her eyes were bright and lively and filled with mischief as she looked the Doctor over. "Very nice. Better than a bow tie."

"Bow tie?"

"Spoilers."

In retrospect, the Doctor should have realized someone like River Song was inevitable. His life tended to be surprisingly linear for a time traveler but he should have known someday he would run into someone from his future. It was still disconcerting, though, seeing this bright woman he evidentially shared some sort of great relationship with, knowing the first time they met from his perspective would be the last for her. It was a strange relationship to say the least and one the Doctor wasn't exactly ready to explore again at this particular moment.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

"Oh, you know me," River said as she sauntered toward him. "So, where are we? Have we met Bob the Fish yet?" At the Doctor's blank look, she nodded. "Right, guess not." She cocked her head taking him in. "Damn. You do look...old and yet...young too. It must be early along, yet."

"A bit," the Doctor said. He realized the truly disconcerting sensation about this was that he finally understood how it must feel for other people to talk to him.

"Hmm," River stated as she looked around. "Just popped in, a lovely statue nearby, they have no idea of the worth it will have in 2574."

"So you're now expanding into thievery?"

River raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you are in early days, aren't you?" She sipped her champagne as she looked around. "Still with Donna or have you..." She paused as she saw the Rani heading toward the doors leading to the ground outside. "Oh. Her."

"You know her?"

'We've never met. We will. But yes...I know of her." She looked to the Doctor, her face now lined with sadness. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" The Doctor's face was blank, giving no indication he expected an actual answer.

"For how it ends." There was no mischief in River's voice, no humor in her eyes. "For you. And for her."

The Doctor licked his lips. "I...don't suppose you can elaborate?"

River just smiled sadly. "Spoilers," she said with true regret in her voice. She turned to walk away, the Doctor following her with his gaze, once more struck by the oddest sensation of now understanding so many conversations from another point of view.

* * *

The patio was quiet so the Rani had no problem finding Mel. The woman was by the line of bushes, staring outward as she sipped her glass. She glanced over to see the Rani coming forward and rolled her eyes. "God, just go away."

"I'd prefer to but as long as I'm here, we might as well clear the air." The Rani came up next to her, admiring the admittedly quite lovely garden before them.

"What, you want to apologize?"

"I never do."

"There's a surprise."

"It wasn't personal. You were merely a means to an end, to gain the Doctor's aid in my experiment."

"Oh, and that excuses it all?" Mel turned, her eyes flaring. "Kidnapping me, impersonating me, nearly getting me killed?"

"To my mind, yes." The Rani was quite matter of fact about it. "It's not like humans are perfect. I've known quite a few with even less qualms than me when it comes to science."

Mel scoffed. "No wonder the Doctor takes with you. He's so damn manipulative now, caring only for himself..." She was cut off by the Rani throwing her head back as she let out honest laughter.

"Oh, dear child," the Rani continued to laugh. "If there is one thing about the Doctor, in all his incarnations, it is that he is the least selfish person you can imagine. It's what makes him so damn irritating. Always throwing himself into things. Just the other week, we're in modern...well, future to you...London, he gets himself stuck on a bus that goes through a portal to another planet. I could pick him up with the TARDIS but no, he wants to stay and help the rest of the passengers _and _save the damn planet as well. Does that sound like a selfish man to you?"

Mel frowned but was still angry. "Then why are you with him?"

The Rani shrugged. "I had no other way to get out of where I was. Traveling with him made sense."

"Time Lords sticking together," Mel sniffed. "Honestly, thought he'd just drop you by somewhere, maybe let them judge you."

The Rani was silent for a long moment, Mel frowning at her silence. "There is no one else," she softly said.

"What?"

The Rani kept staring off in the distance, her voice low and actually showing real emotion. "There was a Time War. A massive conflict, Time Lords, Daleks...It swallowed entire eras, planets and species. It all built to a point where...it had to be ended. No matter what it took, no matter if it meant every Time Lord dying...it had to end."

"And he ended it," Mel whispered, her eyes showing horror at the thought.

The Rani nodded. "Yes. He ended it. He ended his own species, his own people, his planet...He ended it all to ensure time would survive. To ensure little planets like this one would live on and reach their potential." She arched an eyebrow to Mel. "Does that sound like a selfish man to you?"

The younger woman was quiet as the Rani sipped her drink. "I was human for a time." She waved off Mel's confused look. "Long story. Suffice to say, I was fully human, no memories of my Time Lord life. It was..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Enlightening in many ways. I always thought you humans so petty with emotions and worries but then...Well, then I found myself overwhelmed with them. With some in particular..." Memories of liaisons with Victor flashed through her mind briefly. Shaking them off, the Rani continued. "Anyway, as much as I tried to deny it..it gave me a new perspective on you people."

"Such as?" Despite herself, Mel was interested in where this was going.

The Rani was silent for a moment before replying. "It made me see for the first time why the Doctor does what he does. He never sees you as something to be forgotten. As ants or such. No matter what, no matter what time or how long, he never sees you as beneath him. If anything..." She looked to Mel with what seemed true sympathy. "He sees you as greater than he could ever be."

She shrugged. "Personally, I don't see it one bit. But that's how he feels. It's why he does what he does. So remember that the next time you berate him for his actions. Remember how he cares for this miserable little planet more than most actual humans do." She backed up. "I don't know what happened between you two. I mostly don't care. But he gets more irritating than usual when he's in a funk and rather not have to deal with that. So if you want to deal with him before we leave, you have a chance. Personally...I'd say take it."

She walked away, leaving Mel staring after her. The young woman looked back to the party, biting her lip. Then, she marched back into the party. It didn't take long to find the Doctor; no matter what incarnation, the man always stood out. She walked over to him as he turned, instantly steeling himself as she came up. "I...um..." She licked her lips. "I know that to you, time can pass by quick and you can come back to it...But the rest of us don't have that luxury."

"Even I can't change a lot of things, Mel," he sadly told her. "I wish I could, believe me. I wish I could change what I did then. At the time...well, it made sense but now..." He looked off. "I realize now how much harder it made me. Too hard. Hard enough that I did things later I never thought I would."

"The Time War." She shrugged at his surprised look. "The Rani told me about it. I...I'm sorry." It seemed so little but it was all he could say.

The Doctor offered a sad smile. "Thank you." He paused again before speaking. "I am sorry I never cleared the air with you. That I could never make peace with what I did. I treated you far worse than I should have, you didn't deserve that at all. So...I'm sorry, Mel. For what I did, for how I left you. I am sorry."

She stared at him for a long moment before breaking out into that bright smile. "How do you do it? How do you just...make it hard for someone to keep hating you?"

"Oh, that I could use that trick on everyone I meet." The Doctor laughed as they hugged. He broke off as he looked her over. "So, what have you been up to? Married?"

"No, you set too high a bar."

Chuckling, the Doctor took her arm as they walked on, already chatting like old times. Nearby, the Rani watched them go with a thin smile. She was barely aware of the woman at her side until she spoke up. "He cares for them." The Rani turned to the brown-haired woman next to her as she continued to speak. "Never forget that."

"Do I know you?'

"No, but I know you. What you've done." Those dark eyes narrowed. "And what you're going to do. To him and the planet he cares for."

Fear was not an emotion the Rani felt that often yet she could not suppress it now as she stared into a pair of eyes far older than the woman should have been. The woman moved closer, her voice dipping lower. "Events are coming for you both. You're going to change more than you can imagine, in more ways than one. And there will come a time when you have to make a choice."

Keeping her voice calm, the Rani calmly replied. "If you know what's to happen...you know there are some things you can't change."

"Some can be," the woman replied. "You should know that." She sipped her glass, her face still solid. "So now...just know. He will knock four times."

With that, she turned on her heel to walk away. The Rani stared after her before slowly turning her head to see the Doctor and Mel chatting in a corner. And for the first time in a very long time, the Rani felt not just a shiver but a burst of pure fear rock through her body as she realized she'd just been given an unwanted look at what may be coming.

* * *

**A bit short but wanted to get it out, clearly implications for the future...as will be the same with our next chapter. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Survivor's Hearts **

**By Michael Weyer**

** In some ways, a big chapter for our saga, hope you enjoy.**

* * *

"Mars. For a planet named after a god of war, it's surprisingly lovely."

It was rare for the Rani to offer a comment lacking any sardonic attitude so the Doctor treasured this attempt. He couldn't blame her. Mars was amazing to look at, the red atmosphere adding to its clear and open fields of dirt and craters, the vision of Earth and other planets in the sky giving it more of a unique look. Even through the orange spacesuit he wore with helmet, he had to admire this world and the Rani appeared to be sharing that view. The two walked across its surface taking in the sights around them.

"See, this is the sort of experience you can't get just passing by on the TARDIS," the Doctor told his companion. "Just us, the red skies, the red sands..."

"The base."

"Yes, the base, the, excuse me?" The Doctor frowned as he saw the Rani leaning over a ledge and looking down. He joined her to stare down into a large open center where a base was clearly built. It had a large central dome with six branches radiating out, each connected to smaller domes as well as a rocket. "Huh. Unexpected, I thought I was taking us to early 20th century, no one around." He smiled. "But beautiful, truly beautiful."

"_Rotate slowly."_

The Doctor and the Rani turned their heads to see a squat robot, little more than a circular camera and thin metal framework, aiming a gun at them. _"You are under arrest, for trespassing. Gadget-gadget."_

The Rani let out a tired sigh. "Can we just once go somewhere where there are no guns pointed at us?"

"Didn't we just go to 14th century England?"

"Bows and arrows are the same concept."

* * *

Ten minutes and a decontamination scan later, the Doctor and the Rani stood in the middle of a central control room filled with various people naturally baffled as to how two people showed up on Mars. He was in his usual solid blue suit while she wore a sleek black outfit with dark blazer over a vest, her short hair done well despite her helmet. At one side was a young woman holding their space suits, clad in a dark uniform with brown hair in a ponytail and eyeing them with curiosity. Before them was a tall and strong woman who appeared in her late fifties, perhaps early 60's, grey in her blond hair. She wore dark pants and a simple shirt but the gun in her hand and the hard expression on her face as she aimed it at the two Time Lords proved she was more than capable of running things. "State your name, rank and intentions."

"The Doctor. Doctor. Fun."

"The Rani. Scientist. Keeping his fun from turning into mayhem."

The woman glared. "I dislike sarcasm."

"It's the service we provide," the Rani intoned.

A young man clad in light pants and jacket over a red shirt entered the room. "What the hell?" he said, stopping to stare at the two intruders. "It's...a man and a woman? On Mars? How?!"

"I can ask you the same," the Rani retorted.

The woman held up the flight suits to speak in a voice tinged with a German accent. "They were wearing these. Never seen anything like it."

"What did Mission Control say?" the man pressed.

"They're out of range for ten hours with the solar flares."

"If we can cut the chat, everyone," the woman with the gun snapped.

"Actually, chat's second on my list," the Doctor began. "The first being gun, pointed at my head. Which then puts my head second and cat third, I think. Gun, head, chat, yeah, I hate that list. But you could hurt someone with that just...please put it down."

"Oh, you'd like that," the woman spat.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Can you find someone who wouldn't?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I give you my word."

The Rani coughed. "As much as I hate to admit it, his word is worth a lot, especially to a group 40 million miles away from their home."

The woman glared at them both but slowly lowered her gun. "Roman, keep Gadget covering them." The young man nodded as he put on a pair of gloves and moved his hands, the robot responding. He smiled at the Time Lords as he moved his hands, letting the robot move to the left and them to the right. "_Gadget-gadget_!" the robot said with each movement.

"A tad flimsy," The Doctor noted.

_"Gadget-gadget!"_

"Does it have to keep saying that?"

"I think it's funny."

"I hate funny robots," the Rani muttered, the Doctor nodding in agreement. Nearby, a radio crackled on a desk. _"Excuse me, boss," _a female voice came over it. _"Computer log says we've got two extra on site. How's that possible?"_

The leader moved to answer the radio. "Keep the Bio-Dome closed. And when using open comms, you call me Captain."

_"Yeah, but-" _The Captain cut the radio off.

"He can't be a World State flight, we'd know about it," Roman mused. "Therefore, he's got to be one of the Independents, yeah? Was it the Branson inheritance lot?"

"Can we cut to the part about who you are?" the Rani impatiently asked.

The Captain snorted. "Oh, come on. We're the first off-world colonists in history. Everyone on Earth knows who we are."

"The first?" The Doctor and the Rani exchanged looks that slowly turned from confusion to wonder. "Then..this is..."

"Bowie Base One," the Captain said with the two Time Lords joining right in with her.

"Number one," the Rani remarked to herself. "Founded July 1st, 2058, established in the Gustev Crater...How long have you been here?"

"Seventeen months," the Captain responded.

"2059," the Doctor whispered, his face breaking into a huge grin. "Oh, my head is so stupid, you're Captain Adelaide Brooke!" He turned to a man with short sandy blonde hair and an unshaven face. "And Ed! You're Deputy Edward Gold!" He whirled to point at the strongly built man with dark hair. Tarak Ital, M.D." He turned to the younger man at his side. "Nurse Yuri Kerenski." He nodded to the German woman. "Senior Technician Steffi Ehrlich." He looked to the man with the robot. "Junior Technician Roman Groom." Finally, he glanced at the young woman with Asian features and dark hair. "Geologist Mia Bennett. You're only 27 years old."

"As I said," Brooke stated in her clipped voice. "Everyone knows our names."

"They'll never forget them," the Doctor said with reverence.

The Rani had been silent looking about as the Doctor made the strange introductions. "What's the date?" she finally asked.

Frowning deeper, Brooke answered. "November 21st, 2059."

The Doctor's smile slowly faded as he looked to the Rani, who gave a somber nod. "Right. Ok. Fine." He brought himself up, his face drawn but trying to smile. "I...We really should go. I'm sorry with all my hearts but it's one of those very rare time when I've got no choice. But...it's been an honor." He began moving around, shaking hands with each confused crew member. "Seriously, a...very great honor to meet you all. The Martian pioneers, oh thank you."

"Doctor," the Rani said in a warning tone.

"Right," he began moving over to her but paused. "Oh, there's the other two. Hold on...Margaret Cain and Andrew Stone."

Ed moved to click on a communicator. "Maggie, if you want to meet the only new human being that you're gonna see in the next five years, better come take a look."

A loud snarling sound echoed through the communicator, throwing everyone. "What the hell..." Ed murmured.

"Yes, that's our cue to leave," the Rani called out, reaching for the Doctor's arm.

"This is Central. Bio-dome report immediately," Ed stated. Brooke was moving to join him, all business. "Show me the Bio-Dome."

Ed flicked a switch but only static covered a screen. "Internal cameras are down."

"Show me exterior." She watched as the feed shifted to show a view from outside as the lights in the dome went out.

The Doctor was watching them as the Rani leaned in. "Don't. Don't even think about it, Doctor. Not this time, you know we can't get involved."

Brooke turned to face them. "I'm going over. Doctor and Rani, with me."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, love to help but we're leaving, right now," the Doctor stammered.

Brooke faced Steffi. "Lock their suits up." The woman yanked the Rani's out of her hands before she realized it as Brooke stepped forward. "This started as soon as you two arrived so you're not going anywhere. Except with me."

The Rani sighed deeply, realizing once more that nothing could ever be a simple trip with the Doctor.

* * *

"What's so important about Mia's age?" Adelaide was asking as she, the Doctor, the Rani and Tarak walked down the darkened hallways of the bio-dome, flashlights before them. It was a huge hanger, mostly empty but some gardens set up nearby amid the metal walkways. "You said she was only 27, why does it matter?"

"Oh, I just open my mouth and words come out," the Doctor said. "They don't make much sense."

"I can certainly attest to that," the Rani said.

_"Gadget-gadget."_

"I hate robots, didn't I say?"

"_Yeah and he's not too fond of you," _Roman's voice came from Gadget's communicator. _"What's wrong with robots?"_

"Not the robots, it's the people," the Doctor explained. "Dressing them up and giving them silly voices, like you're reducing them."  
_"Yeah. Friend of mine, she made her domestic robot look like a dog."_

"Well, dogs, that's different."

The Rani was obviously impatient as she followed them along. "So there have been no problems here? No major issues of any sort?"

"None you need know about," Brooke said in a clipped voice.

"The things we needn't know about are important," the Rani pressed.

"We have been operating even better than expected. I foresee no major problems to change that."

"I've read all that stuff about you, Captain Adelaide," the Doctor broke in. "But one thing they never said, was it worth it? The mission?"

"We've gotten excellent results from the soil analysis-"

"No, no, I meant all of it," the Doctor interrupted. "They say you sacrificed everything, devoted your whole life to get here."

Brooke was quiet before replying. "It's been chaos back home. Forty long years, the climate, the ozone, the oil apocalypse. We almost reached extinction. And to fly above that, to stand on a world with no smoke, where the only straight line is sunlight..." She looked back at him with pride. "Yes. That's worth it."

The Doctor's wild grin returned. "Ah, that's the Adelaide Brooke I always wanted to meet. The woman with starlight in her soul."  
Brooke was ignoring him, staring forward at a shape on the floor. "It's Maggie." She broke into a run, the others right behind her, kneeling by a young black woman with braided hair in baggy pants and jacket "Don't touch her!" the Rani snapped.

"I know the procedure," Tarak fired back as he knelt to examine her. "Maggie, can you hear me? It's Tarak. Maggie?" He rolled her over, seeing her face soaking wet and leaning over her, ear to her chest. "Ok, still breathing." He pulled up his radio. "Yuri, I've got Maggie, head trauma, I need a full medpack."

It took a few moments for Yuri to arrive with Ed behind him, carrying a medpack and a large backboard. "Don't touch her, use gloves," the Rani ordered.

"Do what she says," Tarak stated as he took the backboard and with Yuri's help, secured Maggie to it. "Get her into sickbay, put her in isolation."

"We're going to the Bio-Dome," Brooke said, completely in command. "Tarak, with me, Yuri can take care of Maggie. Ed, go back. Gadget, stand guard, keep an eye on this area."

"_Gadget-gadget."_

"Captain, you're gonna need me," Ed insisted. "Andy's the only other crew member out here and if that wasn't an accident, he's gone wild."

Brooke's gaze was enough to make him wilt back. "You've deserted your post. Consider that an official warning. Now, get back to work!" She turned to march forward, the Doctor and the Rani falling in behind her.

They were halfway down a hall when Brooke's radio crackled. "_Captain," _Steffi's voice echoed. _"That sound we've heard coming from Bio-Dome? We ran it through diagnostics. It's Andy's."_

"Acknowledged," Brooke said before turning her radio off. Tarak was checking the door before them. "Air pressure stabilized."

"Open it." At the keypad entry, the airlock door opened with a loud groan as the group cautiously stepped into the dome. "Andrew?" Brooke called out. "Andrew Stone? It's Captain Brooke." She had her gun out but lowered as she looked into the darkened surroundings. "Andy, report, I need to see you."

Tarak was checking the nearby computer with a frown. "Power's out." The Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver at the panel and with a loud whirl the lights flashed on. "There we go."

Brooke frowned. "What's that device?"

"Screwdriver."

"Are you the Doctor or the Janitor?"

"I don't know, sounds like me," the Doctor said, throwing a grin at the Rani. "The maintenance man of the universe."

"They did predict a future in public works at the academy," the Rani dryly said.

Brooke looked to Tarak. "Go to external door South, make sure it's intact." He saluted before moving off. The Rani was looking over the catwalk at the huge garden before them. "Quite an achievement," she said with actual respect in her tone. "First flowers on Mars in 10,000 years. And vegetables as well."

Brooke smiled softly. "It's that lot. They're already planning Christmas dinner, want something better than dehydrated protein."

"Christmas," the Doctor softly whispered.

"If we must."

The sound of chirping birds got their attention. "Smart," the Rani noted. "They keep the insect population down. And shows something is still alive in here."

Brooke's radio crackled. _"Captain?" _Yuri's voice echoed. _"Good news. Maggie's awake, she's back with us."_

"Does she know what happened?"

_"She says no. She was just working and it all went black."_

"And Andy?"

_"Again, nothing."_

"If she does remember anything, let me know straight away. And keep the comms clear, everything goes through me, got that?" She clicked the radio off as the Rani shook her head. "I distrust anyone who claims to have no memory of such an attack."

"I do have to agree," the Doctor mused.

Brooke glared at them. "I trust my people." She continued onward. "Trust is all that keeps us going up here. We lose that, we fall apart." She moved to check down a pathway, the Doctor still gazing at the garden around him. The Rani came up to him and leaned in. "What are you doing?"

"What?"

"Don't play innocent, we both know you're not. We shouldn't be here, Doctor and you know it."

"You can say that about a lot of things we do."

"Not this. This is different." She leaned in, lowering her voice. "This is a fixed point in time, Doctor. _Fixed_. You know what that means. We can't interfere, not with something like this. I would never do it. Hell, the Master wouldn't do it and that man was a complete lunatic."

"I know," the Doctor said, his voice still musing. "It's just...No one knew what happened to them. At least we can know that. And maybe...history says they vanished, not died..."

"No." The Rani's voice was hard as she leaned in. "No, taking them centuries into the future is just as bad and you know it. What happens, happens. That's all, Doctor. We are not doing anything to interfere, not with something like this."

Before he could answer, Brooke's radio crackled and Yuri's voiced echoed, laced with panic. _"This is sickbay, we have a situation! Maggie has...I don't know what she is! It's water, just...pouring out!"_

Brooke was lifting the radio up as the two Time Lords moved to quickly join her. "Just tell me what happened to her," she said in a tense voice.

_"The skin is...sort of broken around the mouth. And she's exuding water, like she's drowning but she's still alive and just letting it out!" _

Cursing under her breath, Brooke turned the dial to open another line. "Tarak, this area's unsafe, we're going back." She paused to no answer. "Tarak? Tarak!" She immediately began running back the direction they had come from, the Doctor and the Rani behind her, the trio running through the garden pathways. It didn't take long for them to find Tarak. He was on his knees, convulsing as an older man in a tan uniform stood over him, a hand to Tarak's head. It looked like water was pouring out of the man's hand and into Tarak's open mouth. The other man, Andy it must have been, had eyes that were milky white and his face was split by a mouth that was cracked and peeling at the edges and discolored as well.

Brooke had her gun up and aimed. "Let him go."

"Hold on, hold in," the Doctor said, holding up his hands as he carefully stepped forward. "I can help. I promise, I can help. Just leave that man alone."

"He's not listening, Doctor..." the Rani hissed.

"I order you to stop!"

"Andy, I'm asking you, please just take your hand away from him and listen to me."

"Stop, or I'll shoot!"

Andy looked from one to the other before lowering his hand, Tarak collapsing onto the ground. "Good, that's good." Tarak slowly rose to his feet, turning to face them, his face scarred as Andy's was. "We need to run," the Rani immediately said, turning to take off, the Doctor and Brooke behind her. They heard rasping voices as the transformed men gave chase to them, the trio running about the pathways as fast as they could. The airlock beckoned to them as they raced inside, the Doctor closing the doors. "Set the seals at maximum!"

Brooke was already doing so as the doors sealed tight with a hiss. They could see out the small window Andy coming to them, he and Tarak slowing. The Rani was just getting her breath back when Andy raced a hand and a blast of water erupted from it and hit the door, the Doctor leaping back instinctively. Andy was moving forward, pressing his body on the door and pounding a fist upon it, each strike sounding like a wet rag slapped against a metal sheet.

Brooke was already raising up her radio. "Tell me that Maggie is contained. Can you confirm, Ed?"

_"Confirmed, she's locked in."_

"Keep surveillance until I get back and close down all water supplies. All pipes and outlets, don't consume anything." Her voice raised. "You got that, everyone? That's an order! Don't drink the water. Don't even touch it. Not one drop!"

She turned the radio off as the Rani stared out the window at Andy, her expression more fascinated than frightened. "The standard humanoid body is sixty percent water," she said as if delivering a lecture. "It makes them the perfect host."

"For what?"

"I'm not sure yet," the Rani mused before shaking her head. "And we never will because we have to leave. We can't see this through to the end." Her last words were directed at the Doctor. "We can't."

Andy slammed his hand against the door with Tarak joining him, both opening their mouths to shoot water at the seals. "This thing's airtight, right?" the Doctor asked as he backed.

"And therefore watertight."

"Depends on how clever the water is."

Sparks flew from nearby consoles. "They're fusing the system!" Brooke hissed.

"Abandon ship!" the Doctor called out, turning to help Brooke open the other door and exit. The Doctor pushed the door shut as they ran, the Rani sparing a glance to see Tarak and Andy bursting out and picked up the pace as the Doctor paused by Gadget. "Doctor, we don't have time!" Brooke snapped.

"They can run faster than us, we need a lift!" He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the robot and let it whir. He leaned in to fiddle with the wires. "Sorry bout this, Roman," he muttered before rising up. "Get on!" He leapt onto the back of the robot.

"That goes two miles an hour!" Brooke yelled.

"Not any more!" The Rani pushed Brooke behind as she managed to climb behind the Doctor as well. _"Gadget-gadget!"_

"Gadget-gadget!" the Doctor called out as he pushed on a switch and with a blast of flame from the exhaust, the little robot took off like a race car out of the pit. Brooke involuntarily let out a yelp as they rocketed along, soon outdistancing their two bizarre pursuers. They quickly reached a door leading to another tunnel, the Doctor swiftly opening it.

"The Central Dome airlocks have Hardinger seals," Brooke explained as she followed into the door. "There's no way they can get in."

The Doctor was busy pulling Gadget into the tunnel. "I thought you hated robots!" the Rani snapped.

"I do!" the Doctor just shrugged as if not understanding it himself. He shut the door just as Andy and Tarak reached it. "There, they can't get in," Brooke declared.

The Doctor shook his head. "Water is patient, Adelaide. Water just waits. It wears down cliff tops, mountains, the whole of the world. Water always wins."

The Rani rolled her eyes. "Keats was a terrible influence on you."

* * *

It took about fifteen minutes for them to walk the long tunnel to reach the main sick bay of the base. "You could do with bikes in this place," the Doctor noted.

"Every pound in weight equals three tons of fuel," Brooke pointed out.

"Yeah, but bikes..." The Doctor trailed off as they came up to Ed who was watching Maggie behind the glass of her small examining room. Her face was marked with the same scarring as the others and she leered at them with a predatory gaze. "Has the door got a Hardinger seal?" Brooke asked.

"No, just basic."

"Then the moment she heads for the door, we evacuate."

The Rani was examining the nearby scanners. "Low pulse, extremely high electrical activity in the brain, interesting given the high water density clearly filling her." She glanced to Ed. "Can she talk?"

"We don't know," Yuri answered. "She was before we noticed the change but hasn't said a word since."

Brooke moved to the glass, keeping her face calm. "Maggie? Can you hear me? Do you know who I am?" The woman just gazed at her like a cobra to a rat. "Your commanding officer, Captain Adelaide Brooke. Can you tell me what happened?"

Maggie craned her head toward the Doctor, who rattled off a row of words that sounded like utter gibberish to the Earthlings as Maggie looked toward him. "What was that?" Ed frowned.

"Ancient North Martian," the Rani offhandedly answered.

Brooke snorted. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why did she recognize it?"

"Her eyes are much different," the Rani noted, leaning against the glass. "They're clearer, closer to human."

"Not enough for me," Ed muttered.

The Doctor turned to Brooke. "Where do you get your water from?"

"The ice field," she answered. "That's why we chose this crater, we're on top of an underground glacier."

"Tons of water, marvelous."

"But every single drop is filtered," Yuri insisted. "It's screened, it's safe."

"Clearly." The Rani's voice was, in a bitter irony, dry. She turned back to examine Maggie. "The mouth's all blackened, some sort of fission. This thing, whatever it is, it's not something hiding in water. It creates it."

Yuri swallowed. "She was looking at the screen. At Earth. She wanted Earth. A world filled with water."

Ed moved to Brooke, lowering his voice. "I'm sorry, Captain but it's an unknown infection and it's spreading. That demands Action Procedure One."

"You think I don't know that?" Brooke snapped.

Ed didn't back down. "I think you need reminding."

Brooke stared back at him before sighing. "Yes."

"Well, at least I'm good for something."

"Now and again."

"That's almost a compliment. Things must be serious."

"Sorry, sorry," the Doctor interrupted. "But, Action One, that means evacuation, yeah?"

Brooke nodded. "We're going home." She turned to click the main communicator on. "This is Captain Brooke. I'm declaring Action One. Repeat to all crewmembers, this is Action One with immediate effect. Evacuate the base. Steffi, what's your estimate on shuttle viability?"

"_It's a nine month trip, it'll take me three hours_."

"You've got 20 minutes." She turned to Ed and Yuri. "Ed, line up the shuttle, go straight to ignition status!" He nodded as he left the room.

"What about Maggie?" Yuri asked.

Brooke sighed. "She stays behind. We've got no way to contain her on board." She began grabbing clothing from a locker. "Close this place down, I want the power directed to the shuttle."

The Rani coughed. "Captain, if we can get our suits back, we can make our own way..."

"The only problem," the Doctor said as if she hadn't spoken. "This thing is clever. It didn't infect the birds or the insects in the Bio-Dome, it went straight for the humans. You were chosen. And as I told you, Adelaide, water can wait. Tarak changed instantly but when Maggie was infected, it stayed hidden inside her, to infiltrate the Dome." He paused as he saw the understanding come to her eyes. "Which means..."

"Any one of us could already be infected," Brooke intoned somberly. "We've all been drinking the same water."

"And if you take that back to Earth...One drop, just one drop..."

"You're assuming it's infection," the Rani pointed out. "If we can find out how this thing came through and when..."

Brooke turned to Yuri. "Continue with Action One. I'm going to inspect the ice field." She exited as the Doctor and the Rani watched her go. "We should leave now," the Rani said. "Right now, we need to..."

The Doctor began to follow Brooke, giving the Rani a chance to utter a string of Martian expletives.

* * *

"All I'm saying is bikes. Little foldaway bikes, barely weigh a thing."

Brooke and the Rani were ignoring the Doctor as they entered the huge chamber carrying the ice field. The metal catwalk surrounded it with pipes and hoses digging into the tightly packed area of ice, a chill rising to fill the otherwise humid corridors. The Doctor had slipped his glasses on as he looked down at the field. "They tell legends of Mars," he began in a faraway voice. "From long ago of a fine and noble race who built an empire out of snow. The Ice Warriors."

"I haven't got time for stories," Brooke snapped.

"Perhaps they found something down there..." The Doctor mused. "Used their might and their wisdom to freeze it."

"And the idea of something the Ice Warriors feared should be terrifying you," the Rani added.

Brooke shook her head as she headed to a nearby computer. "We need to find any sort of change in the water process." She began to work on a console as the Doctor and the Rani typed their way to another. "You don't look like a coward, Doctor," Brooke said. "But all you've wanted to do is leave. You know so much about us. More than our press releases."

The Doctor was quiet for a moment. "There are moments, Adelaide Brooke. Moments in time that are fixed, that cannot be altered. Moments that mean so much to the future. This is a moment that began for you 50 years ago when you first glimpsed what lay beyond Earth."

Brooke turned to gape at him. "I've never told anyone that."

"You told your daughter," the Doctor replied. "And, maybe, one day, she tells the story to her daughter of the day the Earth was stolen and moved across the universe."

The Rani sighed. "It's rare I express gratitude to you, Doctor, but getting me off Earth before the Dalek invasion of 2009 is something I'm happy for."

Brooke didn't seem to hear her as she sighed. "I saw them. We looked up, the sky had changed. Everyone was running and screaming. And my father took hold of me...put me in attic and told me to hide. He said he'd come back but he never did. Or my mother. And then..." She shivered. "I saw it. A Dalek, floating right outside the window, looking right at me...It just looked at me then flew away." She wiped at her misty eyes. "And I knew right then that one day, I would follow it."

"For revenge?" the Rani asked. Her eyes were glued to the screen as she tapped away on the keys.

Brooke frowned in confusion. "What would be the point of that?"

The Doctor smiled. "And that's what makes you remarkable. And how you create history. Imagine it, Adelaïde. If you began a journey that takes the human race all the way out to the stars. It begins with you. And then your granddaughter, you inspire her so that in 30 years, Susie Fontana Brooke is the pilot of the first light-speed ship to Proxima Centauri. And then everywhere. With her children, and her children's children forging the way to the Dragon Star, the Celestial Belt of the Winter Queen, the Map of the Water Snake Wormholes. One day a Brooke will fall in love with a Tandonian prince, and that's the start of a whole new species. But everything starts with you, Adelaide. From fifty years ago, to right here, today. Imagine."

Brooke stared at him with wonder. "Who are you? Why are you telling me this? me this?" She leaned in, her face intense. "Doctor, why tell me?"

The smile was on his face but not his voice. "As consolation."

A beeping sound cut through them as the Rani called out. "I've got something. A report made by Stone yesterday." The Doctor and Brooke joined her as she brought up the video of a human Andy in the Bio-Dome, holding something in his hand. "_Maintenance log, 21:20, November 2059. Number three water filter's bust. And guess what? The spares they sent don't fit. What a surprise. Over and out." _

"A filter," the Doctor sighed. "One tiny little filter and then the flood."

"Government contractors," the Rani agreed. "No matter the time period, the cause of so much agony for the populace."

Brooke's eyes brightened. "But that means the infection arrived today and the water's only cycled out of the Bio-Dome after a week. The rest of us can't be infected. We can leave!" She grabbed her radio as she began running back through the tunnel. "Ed, we're clear, get us fired up and ready!" She picked up her pace as the two Time Lords followed her. "You were right, Doctor!"

"What about?'

"Bikes!" They laughed together as they ran. It took a few minutes to enter the main base as the rest of the crew were moving about packing what they could in a rush. Brooke handed the spacesuits back to the Time Lords. "Here, get back to your ship. I'm saving my people, you save yourself. I know that this moment is. It's the moment we escape."

The Rani was already sliding her suit on but the Doctor just stood there, watching them all. "Doctor," she hissed. "Put the damned suit on. We are leaving. Now."

The Doctor just watched the crew move about, yelling orders and what to pack. "I have to see it," he softly said.

"You don't have to."

"Yes. I do."

Brooke was lifting a case when a banging sound got her attention. "Mia, you lot, shut up!" Everyone quieted and listened as they heard a beeping sound echoing from above. "It's the module sensors," Ed revealed. "Exterior as well. The cameras are down but..." he checked the computer before him. "There's pressure on top of the module. Two signals, right above us."

"That means..." Steffi gasped. "They're on the roof?"

Instinctively, everyone looked up. "How'd they get inside the dome?" Roman asked.

"They used the maintenance shafts," Ed said in a tired voice.

"The shaft's exposed," Mia blurted. "They don't have spacesuits!"

"They breathe water," Ed gently reminded her.

"But, they'd freeze!" Steffi yelled.

"They're got that internal fission," Yuri broke it to her.

"Are we safe?" Mia asked, her voice rising in hysteria. "They can't get through, can they?" A loud creaking sound echoed. "Can they?" No sooner were the words out of her mouth then water began dripping through the ceiling. "This place is airtight!" Roman snapped.

"Can it get through?" Steffi cried out. "Ed, can it get through?"

"I don't know?" he snapped. "Water itself isn't motile but it has some resistance!"

"Everyone listen to me!" Brooke snapped. "That's ten feet of steel-combination up there. We need all the protein-packs or we'll starve, keep working!" Everyone was back to their work. "Ed, fire up the shuttle!"

The Doctor just stood there, taking it all in as the Rani grabbed at his arm. "Doctor. NOW." That snapped him out of his funk as he quickly put the suit on and followed her into the airlock. It snapped shut behind them as they made their way to the following doorway leading to the surface. The Doctor punched the button but it didn't respond. He tried again but it seemed access was denied. "_Tell me what happens," _Brooke's voice broke from a radio speaker above a camera that transmitted their images to the base.

"I don't know," the Doctor said.

_"Yes. You do. I don't know how but you do. Now tell me before I ramp up the pressure in that airlock and crush you."_

The Rani felt a tiny pain in her hearts as she realized that, if they'd had more time together, she might have grown to admire this woman. The Doctor's voice was soft but laced with sorrow. "You won't. You could have shot Andy Stone but you didn't. I loved you for that." He paused, closing his eyes. "Imagine...Imagine you knew something. Imagine you found yourself somewhere, I don't know...Pompeii. Imagine you were in Pompeii and you tried to save them but, in doing so, you make it happen. Anything I do just makes it happen." He paused again before looking up to her. "You're taking Action One. There are four more standard action procedures. The fifth one is..."

_"Detonation," _Brooke rasped.

"The final option. The nuclear device at the heart of the Central Dome. Today, the 21st of November, 2059, Captain Brooke activates that device, taking the base and all her crewmembers with her. No one knows why. No one knows she does it to prevent Earth from being overrun by a parasitic life form through water. But you were saving the world. That's what inspires your granddaughter. She takes your people out into the galaxy because you die, today, on Mars. You die. Today. She flies out there like she's trying to meet you."

Brooke's voice was quiet but determined. _"I won't die. I will not."_

"But your death creates the future."

_"Help me." _Her voice was as close to pleading as it could be. _"Why won't you help me, Doctor, if you know all of this. Why can't you change it?"_

"I can't..." He looked to the camera with tears in his eyes. "I swear, I can't. Sometimes I can, sometimes, I do. Most times, I can save someone. Or anyone. Maybe, if it's a lucky day, everyone. But not you. You wondered all your life why that Dalek spared you. You know why now. Somehow, it knew how important you were to the future, the future that even it had to live in. Your death is fixed in time. Forever. And that's right."

There was a long pause before she hissed out. _"You'll die here too."_

"No. We won't."

_"What's going to save you?"_

"Captain Adelaide Brooke."

Another long silence echoed before her voice gasped. _"Damn you."_

"Already done," the Rani intoned. The airlock door hissed open to reveal the landscape of Mars. The Doctor began walking out but the Rani held back, her eyes fixed on the camera. "I don't usually say this," she said, her voice softer than normal. "And I mean it far less. But right now...I am sorry, Captain Brooke. I am very truly sorry. And as trite as this may sound...Know that your deaths are not in vain. Your lives mattered and your deaths will as well. I promise that."

She followed outside, soon catching up the Doctor. They walked on as they heard the voices of the crewmembers echoing in their helmets.

_"Water, we've got water!"_

_ "Everyone, Section B is out! Take every pack you can. We'll go round, make our way through Section F."_

_ "Steffi, go!"_

_ "Steffi, get back, get back!'_

_ "Steffi!"_

_ "Go, go!" _

_ "Shut the door!"_

_ "We'll come get you, Steffi, we'll come get you!"_

_ "Captain!"_

_ "We'll open the access panel, get you out the back! Get her out! Move it!"_

_ "Captain, it's inside!" _

_ "Steffi! Get back, get back!"_

_ "We're coming, Steffi! Hold on!"_

_ "Captain, the access panel's fused. We can't open it!"_

_ "Don't please, don't...I can't move!"_

_ "There's nothing we can do."_

The Doctor could imagine it now: The German woman trapped inside the flooding chamber, perhaps thinking of her family and offering a last prayer. A crackled video played of a young girl speaking Germna, Steffi's daughter. It played over the cries of the crew as they saw Steffi transformed, a hideous touch to an already horrific moment.

_"Ed, we've lost Steffi. What's our status?"_

_ "All systems online, not a single delay! Don't you worry, Captain, we are ready to fly!"_

_ "I need air in Section F now!"_

_ "Locking chamber three...Locking chamber four..."_

_ "Keep looking!"_

_ "Gate five is open! Gate six is open!"_

_ "Roman, come on, let's go!"_

_ "You'd better go without me, Captain."_

_ "Roman, now!"_

_ "I'm sorry, Captain. One drop."_

_ "Oh, Roman..."_

_ "We have to go."_

_ "We can't just leave him!" _

_ "We have to!"_

_ "No, Roman, noooooo!"_

_ "Captain...The shuttle is down."_

_ "What the hell do you mean?"_

_ "Compromised. It was Maggie."_

_ "Get out of there!"_

_ "Too late. They want this ship to get to Earth. No choice...Hated it, Adelaide...this bloody job...Oooooh, God, it's starting, hurts...You never gave me a chance...You never could forgive me...See you later."_

There was no air to carry the sound of the exploding shuttle but the fire was large enough to echo still. The shockwave ripped outward, knocking the Doctor and the Rani off their feet. They looked up to see the burning tower of the shuttle launch and a fire ripping through one of the domes. "We have to go back," the Doctor said as he got to his feet.

"We can't," the Rani snapped.

"We have to! Don't talk to me of the laws of time, don't talk to me of moral obligations because you sure as hell don't have a leg to stand on there, don't mention destiny or fate, we have to go back!"

"Actually, we can't," the Rani said as she moved to the waiting TARDIS. "Because we won't have time before the detonation."

It took a moment for her words to sink in to the Doctor. "The...what?" he gasped.

"I hacked the command system when you two were talking at the ice field," she explained as she opened the door. "I figured thirty minutes was a generous enough time but we're cutting it close. By my mental count, we have about a minute before that nuclear reactor blows and wipes out this entire base and everything within a five mile radius and I'd really prefer to be away when that happens."

She entered the TARDIS, tearing off her helmet as she did. The Doctor was just staring at her, then at the base. He felt it before it happened, a low rumble echoing through the ground. He instinctively closed his eyes as the flash echoed, a bang that would have been deafening on Earth. Instinct took over again as he leapt into the TARDIS, slamming the door. The shockwave of dirt and debris and nuclear fire was just racing to it when the TARDIS finally dematerialized.

And as it had been for so many eons, Mars was a dead and quiet world.

* * *

The Doctor's face was enraged as he tore his helmet off. "You didn't have to do that!"

"I did." The Rani had already removed her suit, at the TARDIS console to hit buttons and then a switch to set the rotor off. "I did it because you wouldn't do what needed to be done."

"There was a way, Rani, there's _always_ another way!" he snarled. "We could have saved someone at least!"

"Not this time, Doctor." Her voice was calm as she began removing her suit. "Not this time." She saw him move to the console, about to adjust the controls. "Don't' bother. I've already set us off on a random course and wiped the records of our last flight. It'll take you far too long to get us back there."

"I don't care," he snarled as he worked on it. "I'll find a way."

"The rules of time, Doctor..."

"To hell with those!" His voice was as maniac as his eyes as he turned to her. "I've followed those damned rules so many times and what has it gotten me? Pain and death and loss and everything we knew gone. Well, to hell with that! I'm the last Time Lord, you know what that means? It means if anyone decides the laws of time, it's me! I decide who lives and dies! The Time Lord Victorious!" He turned back to throw levers, sparks showering out. "He will knock four times, well, guess what, I don't' hear anyone knocking!"

The Rani punched him.

It took a moment for the Doctor to register that, blinking as he sat on the floor. He looked up to see her glaring down at him, a figure of regal rage. "Are you _listening _to yourself?!" she screamed. "You know what happens if you interfere in this? Brooke's children are never inspired by her sacrifice, never go into space themselves and that affects thousands of lives which affect millions more down the road! You know this! And if you do, you think she'll let you? You think she'll be happy to be chosen to be saved when others died? I don't. That woman knows the risks, she knew them when she took this on and she knew what had to be done."

"It's not...right..." The Doctor rubbed at his chin.

"No, it's not." The Rani's voice softened slightly. "But we can't decide that. We are not gods, Doctor. That's one of the few things we always agreed upon, that the High Council played that way far too often. We can't make a decision on a scale like this. Because I can tell you from personal experience, once you compromise your principles, it's a very steady slope downward." She shook her head. "The Time Lord Victorious? No. You'd be the Time Lord Damned. You'd be a bigger monster than the Master and if that doesn't shock you back to your senses, I don't know what will."

She straightened up, brushing back her hair. "I have done a lot of immoral things in my life, Doctor. I won't apologize for them. I did what I saw as best and convenient." She looked down and he was rocked to see true, raw emotion in her normally cool eyes. "But I will not...I cannot...allow one of the few truly bright and pure spots in this cold and hard universe to be tainted like this. If you want to hate me for this...Fine, I can handle that." She paused again, drawing a breath. "I always wondered why you insisted on traveling with someone. But I know why now. Because quite often, even you need to be saved, Doctor. And that includes from yourself."

She seemed to want to say more but instead turned on her heel and began to walk away, leaving in the corridors of the TARDIS. The Doctor sat there, staring after her, his face calming down as he realized the full extent of what he had been about to do, the line he was going to cross. He sat back against the console and could swear he felt it hum as if his longest and most loyal companion was happy to see him not go that far.

He looked upward, taking in a deep breath. "Be with the stars, Adelaide Brooke," he whispered before closing his eyes and letting the TARDIS take him wherever it felt right.

* * *

**I'm not the only one who's noted that the absence of a companion played a huge part in why the Doctor did what he did in "Waters of Mars." As you can see, the Rani in particular changed a bit which will play later down the road. All comments welcomed. **


End file.
